Nicodemus Redux
by Truly
Summary: Lex/Lana and what if that little flower showed up again.
1. Default Chapter

Title: Nicodemus Redux Author: Truly E-Mail: Truly727@yahoo.com Rating: PG Summary: Lex and Lana, of course, and what if that nasty little plant sort of turned up again. Spoilers: None. This actually was written before the tornado, so in it Lionel is not blind and Hamilton is still working with Lex. Disclaimer: I don't own this, characters are owned by WB blah blah blah  
  
**This is for Tracie, the best editor, because she asked for L/L to be together.**  
  
************* Part 1  
  
Wednesday 7PM -  
  
Lex felt the cue slide sleekly through his tense fingers and the pressure cascade back up his arm as it hit the white ball, sending it spinning into the eleven ball which made a satisfyingly loud crack upon impact and glided in to the pocket in the far right corner of the pool table. He took a deep breath as he paced around the perimeter of the table, lining up another shot. Lex unbuttoned the top button of his silk, purple shirt, loosening it a little, letting the cool, luxurious fabric slide against his hand.  
  
Lionel had often joked that Lex played pool so that he could look tougher than he was. But, in truth, the linear symmetry of the game soothed him. It forced him to block out everything else and concentrate on just that one shot and the line up for it. There was no room for any stray emotions to get in the way. If they did, then you hit a bad shot and you lost. It was that simple.  
  
Some men drank, some gambled, some hit the heavy bag, some hit the sheets, but Lex hit the pool table. The game demanded that he push everything else away and allowed him to get his raging emotions under control. He needed that right now. This last confrontation with his father had really pushed him over the edge and just imagining the balls scooting around the table had kept him calm during the worst of it.  
  
"Lex, my boy, you have to let this go. We're getting rid of Cadmus Labs and that's all there is to it." Lionel had laid down the law in the 'I'm superior to you' voice that Lex was all too familiar with.  
  
"I only agreed to put Cadmus up because of Hardwick, not so you could sell it. It isn't yours." Lex had wanted to spit each word out, but had instead modulated his voice, keeping it soft and even, never betraying the red-hot anger that had roiled beneath the surface.  
  
"And, of course, my plan worked perfectly. But we don't need it anymore, so that, as they say, is that." With those parting words, Lionel had turned on his well-shod heel and strode triumphantly out of the office; his son and the fact that it had been Lex's plan completely forgotten.  
  
The minute he moved the cue forward, Lex knew that it was too hard, too forced. The nine ball bounced slightly right of the pocket and rolled back ineffectually.  
  
"Damn," Lex hissed.  
  
"Not the best shot I take it." Lana Lang stood uneasily in the doorway of the library unsure if she should just turn around and leave or step inside. She likened it to stepping inside the lion's den. She wasn't sure why though. Lex had always been nothing but polite to her, but still she found herself uneasy around him.  
  
"No, not the best shot, but then, sometimes those are the ones that matter most," Lex replied smoothly, putting a tight lid on his anger. Lana was usually a bit skittish around him, so he tried to be careful with her. He was thankful that she was getting more comfortable with him, but he didn't want to push her. Even now when they had been in business together for more than a year, she sometimes looked ready to run if he raised an eyebrow at her. However, she was totally at ease discussing business matters with him, and conversations about Clark went pretty well too. Most other things seemed to be off-limits though, which was fine with Lex, seeing as how the one time that their conversation had veered in to unsafe territory, it had left him rather unsettled.  
  
"Is this a b-b-bad time?" Lana stammered, not sure about the sudden glow in Lex's eyes.  
  
Lex shut that memory away and smiled what he hoped was a genuine smile. He put the pool cue back in to its holder on the wall, as he answered, "No, not at all. What can I do for you?"  
  
Lana really wanted to run then and berated herself for coming to the castle at all. "Uh, we were supposed to meet at The Talon to talk about the spring concerts. When you didn't show, I figured that something important must have come up. But I need an answer, so here I am." Lana knew that she was rambling, but Lex was staring at her with those intense, piercing, blue eyes of his and he was making her nervous. "I know it's months away, but we have to get started on some of it now."  
  
Lex glanced out the stained glass window and noted for the first time that it was twilight, signaling that the day almost over.  
  
"Oh, damn, I forgot. I'm sorry, Lana. I had to go to Metropolis suddenly and our appointment slipped my mind." Lex silently cursed Lionel once more since going to Metropolis at the last minute had been his fault to begin with. Lex had been awakened from a very nice dream by some Luthor Corp. suit requesting that he come to the city and sign some papers authorizing the sale of Cadmus.  
  
So far he had held out, desperately clinging to the agreement that gave him an equal say in the fate of the laboratory. But he wasn't naive enough to think that he could defy his father forever. When Lionel Luthor wanted something, he got it. It was only a matter of time before Lex bent to his father's will.  
  
"If you have time now, we can do it here," Lex gestured for Lana to take a seat at his chrome and glass desk as he positioned himself on the edge of it.  
  
Lana watched Lex perch casually on the edge of the desk, his obviously expensive suit pants wrinkling as he did so. Lana glanced nervously at the seat and then with an internal shake, fell into the mode she was most comfortable in around Lex, business. She usually ran things at The Talon herself and made most of the day-to-day decisions, but anything that was bigger, or that required spending extra money, had to be cleared with Lex. Better make this good then, she thought before plunging in.  
  
"Well, I have an idea actually. I thought that instead of only having one big group to highlight the week before Spring formal, that we could get smaller, local bands to perform on the nights leading up to the dance, and then, one, big headliner the night before." She handed him the proposal that she had been working on. It listed all of the bands that she had in mind along with their availability and booking rates.  
  
"It gives us a steady crowd for a full week and it's a good way to get more local color, and maybe get some people in from Metropolis. That would give us the option to get a bigger headliner the night before," she rushed on as she anticipated Lex asking her to explain her whole, thought process. "I was thinking of maybe Remy Zero and as you know most of the bigger groups are playing smaller venues lately, trying to connect with their audience in more intimate surroundings, so I think that we can get them. I checked their."  
  
Lex turned his back and appeared to study the proposal, but in truth, he was smiling. He didn't want Lana to think he was belittling her or her ideas, he actually thought that it was a wonderful plan. But her enthusiasm still made him smile; it was so unlike anything he was used to. It was the same with Clark when he got an idea. Must be something in the corn, he mused.  
  
Lex let Lana babble on and on about the idea and how she had come up with it and how much money it would make him. He guessed she figured that appealing to his love of profit was a sure way to get him to agree and usually, it was. He secretly liked it when she got an idea she didn't think that he would agree to and then, set out to prove a point to him. And he wanted to let her, so he did.  
  
"It's fine, sounds good. Go with it." He turned around and handed back the yellow folder when she stopped to take a breath.  
  
"R-r-really?" Lana stammered again and wished that she hadn't. She wanted to be as cool as Lex was, as sophisticated, but the sad fact of the matter was that she always felt like a little girl around him. She hated that, but as hard as she tried, she couldn't act any other way. Once or twice, she had attempted to emulate her employer's self-possessed, worldly-wise air, but Lex's bemused grin had told her instantly that she had failed.  
  
"Yes, really. I think that it's a good idea, so set out what needs to be done and if you need someone to make some calls, let me know and ."  
  
"You'll make the calls?" Lana teased before she thought about what she was doing.  
  
Lex smiled at her, knowing that she was teasing him and glad that she had calmed down a little, "No, Miss Homecoming Queen, I will have someone on my staff make the calls."  
  
"Oh, business the Lex Luthor way, I get it." Lana couldn't seem to help herself all of a sudden.  
  
"Yes, if you want to say that, the Lex way it is. But trust me, it works." Lex was surprised that he was having a good time sitting and joking with Lana. He realized suddenly what Clark saw in her. It wasn't just her outer beauty, and Lex admitted that there was plenty of that; it was the fact that when Lana smiled at you, you really liked it, maybe too much.  
  
"Just let me know if anything needs to be done," Lex concluded and moved to sit behind the desk, trying to get their discussion back on a more even keel.  
  
"Sure, I'll do that," Lana gathered up the proposals and her other paperwork when Lex's butler, Vernon, came in.  
  
"Mr. Luthor, this package was just delivered for you," he explained as he carefully set an elegantly wrapped parcel on the desk.  
  
Lana snuck a quick glance through the hair that cascaded over her shoulder as Lex carefully took the package and with a wave dismissed the man.  
  
"Okay, I'm leaving." Lana licked her lips but didn't do much to move.  
  
"No problem, take your time," Lex answered absently pulling the silver ribbon off of the small, white box. Why Hamilton had bothered to wrap it was beyond him. This was the answer to his problems; it was going to solve his dilemma with Lionel.  
  
"What's that?" Lana blurted out, too enticed by the look on Lex's face as he opened the box to stop herself.  
  
Lex looked up, surprised that Lana was still in the room; he had thought that she had left already. He set the box lid in his hands aside and laid the box itself down on the desktop.  
  
"Nothing, some cologne from France. A new blend," he answered a bit curtly as she continued to stare at him.  
  
They stood there for a minute in awkward silence, Lana gazing with fascination at the small, green bottle inside the box and Lex staring at Lana.  
  
"Well, again, if you need anything, just let me know," Lex finally said and walked around the desk toward the door, his hand out for Lana to follow him. She slowly dragged her eyes away from the box and over her shoulder to where Lex stood at the doorway, waiting for her.  
  
"Sir, I am sorry, sir, but apparently, this note fell off of the box when it was delivered." The butler reappeared in front of Lex.  
  
Annoyed, Lex snatched the card from Vernon's hand and jerked it open so that he could read the hastily scrawled note.  
  
'Call me as soon as you get this. H'  
  
Damn, Lex muttered under his breath and wondered what had gone wrong now. Dr. Hamilton might be a genius and he shared Lex's growing obsession with the meteor rocks, but he was also high-strung and needed a ridiculous amount of handholding.  
  
"If you'll excuse me, I need to make a call right now. Do you need .," Lex looked back at Lana who hadn't moved from the desk and had gone back to staring at the beguiling box.  
  
"No, I've got it. Sorry, I'm going." Lana grabbed the papers that she had once again laid down on the desk and watched as Lex strode from the room, knowing that she had already been forgotten.  
  
Lana started toward the door, but stopped and glanced around the vast room nervously. So, Lex got his cologne delivered in a small, perfect, white box tied with a silver ribbon? It had to be the most decadent thing that Lana had ever heard of, and she had heard a lot of decadent things about Lex. She'd even been witness to a few. She wondered why the cologne had been wrapped up so perfectly. Had someone sent it to him? A woman maybe?  
  
Lana turned thoughts about the box and who had sent it over and over in her mind as her silent footsteps followed the thick, Persian runner to the front door.  
  
"Miss Lang, do you need a ride back to town?" Vernon asked solicitously as he held the door open for her.  
  
"Hmmm? Oh no, thanks, Vernon, I brought Nell's car." She smiled at him, remembering that he had asked after Nell several times. Of course, her Aunt was too much of a snob to date a butler. But Lana had always thought that Vernon was nice.  
  
Lana skidded to a stop just before she reached the door, "Oh, you know what? I just realized that I . left something in the library.I'll just go and grab it," she lied on a sudden impulse.  
  
"Certainly. Have a nice evening and tell your Aunt that I said hello." Vernon closed the large, oak doors firmly as Lana whirled around and hurried back down the corridor.  
  
She mentally cursed herself the entire, short trip back to the study, but her curiosity was too keen to stop now. She slipped back in to the library and called Lex's name quietly a few times. To her relief, he wasn't there.  
  
She walked toward the desk, careful not to let her boots click on the wooden floors. Setting the papers down on the desk, she lifted the small, intricately cut, green, crystal bottle out of the silk material that held it nestled in the box. The bottle was exquisite, but she mused that it didn't really look like Lex. The stopper looked like gold and it probably was. Unstopping it slightly, she leaned in and tentatively sniffed the fragrance.  
  
It surprised her and her nose wrinkled automatically. It didn't smell like Lex at all. It was light, breezy, almost floral. Lex smelled like a mixture of old wood polish and earth, something subtle and unique. This cologne wasn't either; it was plain and ordinary, something you could probably find at the local drugstore. Lana actually detected some underlying smell that was familiar, but she couldn't place it.  
  
Disappointed that such an unusual-looking package, one that had obviously piqued Lex's interest, had turned out to be so ordinary, she restoppered the bottle and set it carefully back in the box. At least, Lex hadn't come back in and found her making a big fool of herself.  
  
*************************************  
  
"It's fine. Yes, fine. Hamilton, I said it was fine, no breakage or leakage . well, as long as you did what I told you to . yes, I know that . yes, I remember what hap .well that's why I told you I needed it to be less concentrated but to have the same effects. So then, it's okay . and no aftereffects, right? Hangover? Perfect. Stop worrying." Lex didn't wait for another rant to begin; he just hung up the phone, perfectly happy with what Hamilton had given him . . . a nice, easy way to bring down Lionel.  
  
Although he had been freaked out at the time by what Hamilton had found in the Nicodemus flower, Lex had pragmatically realized its potential. With a few, minor tweaks, it was a near perfect way to manipulate someone. He certainly couldn't use it if it put people in to comas, so that had been fixed. After Jonathan Kent had ingested the pollen from the Nicodemus, he had panicked, wondering what he had inadvertently done to Clark. Then, Lana had been affected and things had started to spin rapidly out of control.  
  
Lana. Her behavior while under the influence of the Nicodemus had certainly been a shock. Uninhibited Lana, acting out her hidden desires, had certainly given him food for thought. He would have expected her to come on to Clark, that was a given. But the scene in The Talon had been something that he could have never foreseen. Sweet Lana taking a walk on the wild side, and wanting to take that walk with him. Even now, months later, Lex still couldn't wrap his mind around it.  
  
He'd just been grateful that afterwards Lana hadn't pursued her line of questioning about why he had invested in The Talon. Those few moments had put some doubts in his own mind about why he he'd done it. He admitted to himself that he could have made a lot more ready cash by selling the old theater to the company who'd wanted to turn it in to a parking lot, so why take the long road to make a profit? Was it because Lana had asked him to? Had all of her enthusiasm, and something else, gotten to him? If Clark weren't his best friend, would that interlude in the empty cafe have turned out differently? He caught a glance of himself in the mirror that hung in the side office and was surprised to see that he looked flushed.  
  
"Stupid," he muttered with irritation at himself and stormed out of the room, leaving his random questions unanswered. 


	2. Nicodemus Redux Part 2

Title: Nicodemus Redux Rating: PG Summary: Lex and Lana, of course, and what if that nasty little plant sort of turned up again. Spoilers: None. This actually was written before the tornado, so in it Lionel is not blind and Hamilton is still working with Lex.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own this, characters are owned by WB blah blah blah  
  
**This is for Tracie, the best editor, because she asked for L/L to be together.**  
  
  
  
****************Part 2  
  
Thursday - 7AM  
  
Lana scanned the contents of her closet once more and told herself again that she had to make a decision and just pick something. But she had been standing in front of her wardrobe for almost 20 minutes now and she still couldn't decide.  
  
"Everything is pastel," she murmured. Well, not everything, the black pants worked okay. They were probably not too school appropriate, but at this point, she didn't really care. She liked them and she was wearing them.  
  
Nell. Her aunt's name popped unbidden in to Lana's head. Surely, Nell would have something that she could borrow and then later, she would just go shopping. Of course, she hadn't done too well with shopping in the past, just look at what was hanging in her closet right now. "I'll just have to buy the things I really want and not settle for what everyone expects me to wear," she said defiantly to no one in particular.  
  
Nell did have just the thing, a cropped, v-neck, black sweater with long, flared sleeves and it went perfectly with the spike-heeled boots that she'd also borrowed.  
  
"Nell, I borrowed a few things from you, okay?" Lana yelled over her shoulder as she raced out the door.  
  
  
  
Clark and Chloe were working Pete Ross' last nerve. They were arguing, again, about something that Pete totally tuned out. Well, at least, they were talking he tried to tell himself, but he was getting tired of this. After last year's Spring Formal when Clark had run off, thinking that Lana was in trouble, and had left his date, Chloe, things between the roving reporter and her friend slash object of affection had been pretty tense. Of course, since Lana had been in serious, life-threatening trouble, Chloe had a hard time holding it against Clark. That didn't stop her from trying though.  
  
To Pete's thinking, it was pointless for Chloe to be mad at Clark because he was hung up on Lana Lang. Clark had had that jones since like the 5th grade and it hadn't gone away yet. Of course, first there was Whitney standing between them and then, lots of other obstacles got in the way. For the sake of her own sanity, Chloe really needed to let it go.  
  
"Pete?" Clark called again, trying to get his attention.  
  
"What?" Pete snapped out of his reverie on the complicated love lives of his friends. "Oh yeah, the concert on Friday, whatever you two say, I'm hosed this week anyway, no date." He wasn't too thrilled to be flying solo, but hanging out with Chloe and Clark wouldn't be too bad as long as they chilled out.  
  
"Ha, what? Look at Lana, Ms. Drama Queen," Chloe pointed behind Clark and Pete.  
  
Clark swung around; his eyes widening as he saw Lana Lang saunter down the hallway of Smallville High. Black was not a color anyone usually saw on Lana and he wasn't the only who was staring at the unusual sight.  
  
"Hey Lana, what's up with the whole, Queen of Darkness look," Chloe jokingly inquired.  
  
"Nothing Chloe, I just wanted to try something different." Lana blushed slightly at the obvious attention that she was receiving from her classmates.  
  
"Different than what?" Chloe wondered.  
  
"Than pastels," Lana replied and shot Clark a glance through her thick, mascara-covered lashes. "Clark, it's okay, right? I mean, it isn't as bad as Chloe makes out, is it?" she sounded a little uncertain.  
  
Ever the gentleman, Clark hastened to reassure her. "N-n-n-nnooo. I think that your outfit is great, good . uh, I mean, fine. It's t-t-totally fine," he stammered, not taking his eyes from Lana's.  
  
"Thanks, Clark, you're so sweet." She bit her lip as he blushed at her compliment. Lana waved as she turned down the hallway leading to her first class of the day. She cast one, last glance over her shoulder at Clark, who she knew was still standing in the same spot, staring at her. She gifted the besotted, young man with a hint of a smile and wiggled her fingers at him as Chloe tugged at his sleeve.  
  
Clark really is nice, Lana thought as she took her seat in Mrs. Hagard's AP Calc class. He was also a cutie, so tall and he had those big, broad shoulders. Of course, he needed some work. The plaid shirts that he always wore needed to go. Secretly, she hated them. She ignored Mrs. Hagard's screechy voice and ran through some items of clothing that Clark Kent would look really good in.  
  
A black silk suit paired with a stark, white shirt and a black and gray tie would be good. If Clark would only dress like Lex, then that would be perfect. Lex was always so beautifully dressed. Sometimes she wondered if someone dressed him each morning, but today that brought a new and different thought and Lana found herself wondering if someone undressed him at night.  
  
"Hmmmm," Lana murmured, barely noticing the boy sitting next to her gazing with rapt fascination at her parted lips.  
  
  
  
Lex sipped his coffee and glanced around The Talon, mentally calculating how much each customer was spending and wondering if it was time to see about raising prices. Business was good and steady and growing at a decent rate, so he wasn't too worried, but still you had to keep things moving forward if you wanted to succeed.  
  
And success was the plan, total and complete success. He let his thoughts drift back to the small, white box that he had locked carefully in the safe last night. It would get him just what he wanted, Cadmus Labs. All he had to do was make sure that Lionel used it at just the right time, and then, let him dig his own grave while Lex waited to throw the last handful of dirt.  
  
"Contemplating how much you're making off each person here?" Lana smiled coquettishly and eased into the chair opposite her employer at the small table.  
  
Lex focused on Lana and returned her smile. He found it amusing that in his house, she was so timid and unsure, but here she was poised and confident because she obviously felt safe.  
  
"Nope, already figured that out. I was just wondering if we were undercutting ourselves and needed to raise prices." He leaned in toward her and whispered the last, few words. Better that the customers didn't overhear that.  
  
Lana did the last thing that he expected her to. She leaned in toward him and lowered her voice conspiratorially, "Well, we could do that if The Beanery was no longer in business. But since they're still squeaking by, we'd better just let it go for a while. Don't you think, boss?"  
  
"Point taken. After all, we don't want to help out the competition, do we?" Lex watched her fingers as they drew small circles on the tabletop, but glanced back up when she let out a throaty sigh.  
  
"We could always find a way to close down The Beanery . . . permanently," she suggested, then leaned back in her chair to watch his reaction. She knew he would think that she was being funny, so she schooled her features into a mask of perfect seriousness.  
  
Lex knew that she was joking, Lana would never resort to anything underhanded. He would, of course, but not Lana. As he studied her face, suddenly, he wasn't so sure. She appeared to be serious. Her eyes were hooded and her lips were slightly parted and she was watching him intently.  
  
"You're kidding. Right, Lana? I mean, that seems a little ." Lex hesitated searching for the phrase he wanted, "out of character for you."  
  
Lana wanted to break out in giggles; she loved this. Lex didn't know what to think of her right now and she knew that she was being as cool and mysterious as he always was. "Out of character? Hmmm, I guess maybe you're right." And then, not being able to control herself any longer, she started to laugh.  
  
Lex let out the breath that he'd been holding and laughed with her. Lana had really thrown him for a few minutes. He hadn't known what to think of her remarks or how to take them. This easygoing Lana was different and much harder for him to read.  
  
Lana wiped a tear away from the corner of her eye as she studied Lex, who for once looked relaxed and comfortable. Usually, he was on the phone directing someone to do something or whirling in and out like a tornado. This was much nicer, sitting and talking, joking and laughing.  
  
"Lex, I was thinking that it might be a good idea to go and hear some of the bands in Metropolis some time," Lana felt the words slip out before she could even grasp their form. She really hadn't meant to say that out loud, even if she had thought it.  
  
"I agree. You should do that. Maybe Clark can go with you?" Lex replied, not quite sure where she was going with this.  
  
"That's a good idea . but I'm not sure if Clark will be able to go," she said quickly and stood up to escape. Lana picked up Lex's empty coffee mug and hurried away from the table. She knew Lex was watching her go; she could feel his eyes boring in to her back. He was probably wondering what in the world she was up to. Lana wasn't sure herself; she was still shocked that she had just blurted out her Metropolis idea.  
  
Lana filled Lex's cup again with the organic blend that was his favorite, added a little soy milk, and stirred it absent-mindedly. She thought about where that comment had come from.  
  
She admitted to herself that late last night she had been thinking about how fun it would be to go to Metropolis for a few days, stay in some fancy hotel, and hit the night spots to hear the bands, and yes, she had even imagined Lex's limousine pulling up outside those clubs and the two of them stepping out of it while everyone wondered who she was.  
  
But actually giving voice to her fantasy about Lex taking her to the city was insane.  
  
"Well, you didn't actually say that part out loud, so you're safe, right?" she asked herself.  
  
"Safe from what?" Lex asked her. He had watched her practically fly away from the table and hide behind the bar, stirring and stirring his coffee before it had actually hit him that she might have been asking him to take her to hear the bands in Metropolis.  
  
That thought had taken him by surprise and he replayed the conversation over and over again in his head. They had been joking and she had said that she thought it would be a good idea to go to hear some bands in Metropolis. But then, she had looked stunned and even more so when he had said that he concurred and suggested that Clark should go with her. So, what was going on?  
  
"Safe from what, Lana?" he asked again, stepping around her since she wouldn't turn to look at him. He blocked her against the bar so that she couldn't escape without squeezing right up against him and he knew she wouldn't do that. He knew it would intimidate her, but he did it anyway.  
  
"Safe? Did I say that out loud?" she tried to make a joke of it, but Lex wasn't playing along. He looked serious, deadly serious. "Safe . hmmm . safe from ." she just couldn't think of any answer that wouldn't sound completely and utterly stupid. Even in Nell's high-heeled boots, Lana had to tilt her head up to make eye contact with Lex, which she did nervously.  
  
So, tell him the truth, what's the worst that could happen, a little voice in the back of her head urged her.  
  
"Actually, Lex, I was thinking that you could take me to the city to see the bands, not Clark." She handed him the coffee mug as she made her declaration. She wanted to be smooth about it, just announce it in a breezy voice like it was no big thing. But then their fingers locked as he reached to take the mug from her and she couldn't do anything but catch her breath.  
  
Lex had been stunned very few times in the past, several years. He figured that growing up with Lionel had kept him perpetually on his toes, but Lana's announcement had taken him completely by surprise. If it hadn't, then the way her fingers slid along the mug handle to brush lightly against his would have surely done it.  
  
"Lana ." he started, but was so disconcerted that he had to stop and begin again. "Well . I . sure, I could do that, I guess, I'm just not sure.I mean, why?"  
  
Lana had to concentrate so that she didn't let out a triumphant whoop. She knew that she had pushed Lex off of his normal, carefully determined path, and secretly, she loved it and considered it to be a sort of payback for all of the times that he had done the same thing to her. Lex looked like someone had just told him that Clark could fly or something, but he didn't move his hand away from her's.  
  
"Well, I don't know Metropolis and you do and I don't think I can get into the clubs myself, even if I tell them why I'm there and you could get us in. Plus, I would need you to pay for it, so you might as well be there . right?" she finished a little breathlessly.  
  
She knew that her answer was a cop out and not what she had really wanted to say, but it was good enough and it was sort of the truth. She didn't tell him that she got a thrill just thinking of seeing Metropolis his way.  
  
Lex shook his hand free of the mug and grabbed it around the outside away from Lana's fingers. "You're right. That makes sense. We'll have to do that some time." He stepped away as he finished answering her, "I have to go to the city now for a few days. But when I get back, we can talk about it. Good idea," he reiterated, taking a sip of his too hot coffee and getting a burned tongue in the process.  
  
Lex had no intention of talking to Lana about this trip again. He figured that she would give it some thought and realize that it wasn't wise to go running off to the city with him and that would be that. If not, then Nell certainly wasn't going to let her go either. Maybe he should mention it to Clark just in case? Then, he could talk her out of it and that would be the end of it.  
  
After all of the raw emotions that Lana had stirred in him last year, standing right about here he realized with a jolt, he didn't want to be alone with her in the city and certainly not in a nightclub. He knew what those places did to a person. The lights were dim and the music was so loud and pounding that your heart kept pace with it. Warm, sweaty bodies pressed together, promising to give themselves. Every drunk on the prowl would zero in on innocent, little Lana immediately and they'd be all over her. Lex did not want to put Lana in that situation, nor did he want to play her hero.  
  
Lana watched the thoughts flit through Lex's expressive eyes and knew instantly that he was hoping to put her off indefinitely and make her forget about traveling to Metropolis with him. She stepped two paces towards him until their bodies were only inches apart. "Actually, that's good timing, why don't I go with you?" she queried.  
  
"Just like that?" Lex chortled with amusement at her impulsiveness.  
  
"Why not? All I have to do is pack a few things and tell Nell, then I'll be ready." She could see the wariness in his eyes, but was unwilling to let this go, ".we can get this over with now." 


	3. Nicodemus Redux Part 3

"Lex! Lex! Hey, what's going on?" Clark stopped him as he was getting in to his car.  
  
"Clark. Nothing, I just have to go to the city to take care of some business," Lex answered his best friend. However, if he had been asked, he would have said that he looked at Clark more as a little brother, one who had very good luck.  
  
"Metropolis. Really? Sounds fun. I get to go to a farm equipment show this weekend," Clark added ruefully, his good nature tested once again by the life that he led versus the life that he wanted to lead. He loved his parents, but on occasion, he found himself wishing that he had the freedom that Lex enjoyed. Getting to go to the city for the weekend sounded a lot more exciting than some tractor show.  
  
"Well, at least, you get out of school, so, it can't be that bad." Lex was thinking that it sounded pretty boring too, but he also knew that Mr. Kent dragged Clark to things like this so that he could spend time with him, which Lex was always jealous of.  
  
"No school the rest of the week, some teachers' thing," Clark said with a grin.  
  
Ah, Lex grinned back, so that was why Lana wanted to go today. Clark was out of town and there was no school. He really felt like a fool now. This trip had nothing to do with him; it was just good timing.  
  
"Well, have fun anyway. I have to go. Ask Lana to tell you her idea for the spring concerts, it's a good one." Lex slid smoothly into the black, leather seat of the silver Jaguar and started the motor. He waved once again to Clark and gunned the engine toward the castle.  
  
Clark shook his head as Lex tore down the street and wondered if Lex had learned anything from their first meeting, like it's important to drive at a sensible speed and watch the road. Although technically, the accident hadn't been Lex's fault. He'd hit a bundle of wire that had come loose from a truck and even if he'd been going the speed limit, he would still have lost control of the Porsche.  
  
"Alice, is Lana here?" Clark asked the new blond waitress as he entered The Talon.  
  
"No, sorry, she just left, something about going home to get ready," she replied as she juggled a tray full of coffee mugs.  
  
"Get ready for what?" Clark took the tray before Alice dropped all of the mugs and was rewarded with a huge grin.  
  
"Thanks, just put them on the bar. I'll get the hang of this some day. Lana said something about going out of town with Nell."  
  
"Oh, great. Thanks." Well, he would just have to see her when he got back on Sunday then. Clark hoped that she and Nell had a good time wherever they were going; he knew that things had been uneasy between them for a while now and he hated that for Lana. He smiled as he left; he looked forward to hearing about Lana's weekend when she got back.  
  
*************************************  
  
"Ready?" Lex questioned as he stowed the brown, leather bag in the back seat of the Jag.  
  
Lana slid into the passenger seat of the car, throwing her purse behind her, then straightened the sleeves of her sweater and smiled. "Ready," she smiled sideways at Lex as he started the car and pulled out of the driveway.  
  
She figured that Nell wouldn't find the note that she'd left until Sunday when she got back from her romantic weekend with her new husband. Lana had told her that she was staying at Chloe's Saturday night; she just had to be sure to get Chloe to cover for her again. It was silly for Nell to be so strict, she told herself. After all, she was 17 and that was old enough to do what she wanted. Besides, this was just a business trip.  
  
Which is why you borrowed Nell's little black dress, right, that annoying, inner voice asked?  
  
I have to look like I belong in Metropolis, don't I? And Nell is in a cabin in the woods, so she won't need it, Lana retorted silently.  
  
Sure, right, whatever, the voice mocked her.  
  
"Lana? You there?" Lex asked her as they passed the sign that said Welcome to Smallville, Home of the Meteors.  
  
"Hmmm, oh, sorry, I was just running through something in my head." She decided to change the subject. "So, you said that you were going to Metropolis on business. Is this going to get in the way?"  
  
"No, not at all. I just need to ahh . pay a visit to someone and drop something off." Lex had been thinking of the best way to get the serum to Lionel without it being traceable back to him. It actually wasn't as hard as he feared it might be; he was just going to have it dropped at the front desk at Luthor Corp. along with a note from Victoria.  
  
He loved the irony in that one. Lionel's ego would puff up, thinking that Victoria had remembered him enough to send a present even though their affair had ended a while ago. Lex could still see the pictures in his head and it made him grimace all over again. Lionel thought that he had been so sneaky about it, but he had also made sure that Lex could find out if he wanted to. Another way for Lionel to make sure Lex knew who was in charge.  
  
"I feel sorry for that person." Lana said as she swiveled in her seat so that she could face Lex.  
  
"What? Why?" he snuck a quick, sideways look at her, then redirected his attention to the road ahead of him.  
  
"From the look on your face, it doesn't seem like it's going to be a nice visit." Lana noted Lex's furtive glances at her and the way that his jaw tightened as he listened to her.  
  
"It's a business thing, so it just has to go well, not be nice," Lex shot back, wishing that she would turn back around and stare out the windshield instead of at him.  
  
The silkiness of her voice washed over him and made him want to shake himself to get it off. He knew she couldn't be doing it on purpose, but Lana was definitely flirting with him and her subtle invitations were starting to wear on him.  
  
"Of course not, I mean you're nice and you're fine," he remarked, hoping that the standard answer would put an end to this conversation.  
  
Lana chuckled, a low, throaty sound, which caused Lex's jaw to tense up again. She reached out and ran one finger lightly along the line where the muscles flexed against the pale skin, but drew back when Lex jerked away from her touch.  
  
"Don't," he hissed at her.  
  
"Sorry. I was just wondering why you were so . upset? No . tense, actually. Am I making you nervous, Lex?" She leaned forward a little to better see his eyes. But he stared straight ahead, refusing to look at her again.  
  
"I'm fine, Lana. You just startled me, that's all." That wasn't all, but Lex wasn't about to expound on what her simple touch had done to him.  
  
Lana hooked her hands together as if in prayer and made a show of placing them in her lap. "See. You're safe now," she assured him.  
  
She had to unclasp them and grab the side door handle when Lex suddenly slammed on the brakes. He skidded the car to a complete stop and turned to her, "Lana, what's going on? Tell me now," he ordered brusquely. God he sounded like his father and he hated it, but he'd had enough of her games.  
  
"Geez, Lex a little warning next time would be nice," Lana spun around to face him; her eyes blazing.  
  
"Lana .," Lex began in a soft voice.  
  
"Oh, okay, I get it, no joking, no laughing, no touching, no fun. I get it Lex, don't worry," she spit back at him.  
  
"That isn't what I meant .," he tried to explain.  
  
"Then, what brought on this violent reaction of your's exactly? The joking, the laughing, or the touching?" Lana countered, starting to enjoy herself again.  
  
"That! That is what I'm talking about Lana. Where did that come from?" Lex suddenly wished that he hadn't started this conversation. Touching was the last thing that he wanted to discuss with Lana.  
  
"What, Lex? Where did what come from?" she shrugged and turned back to gaze at the road, waiting silently for him to start the car. When he didn't, she realized that he wasn't going to go until he got his answer. Well, this could be interesting, her other voice supplied.  
  
"Okay, so I realized that for whatever reason I was nervous around you all the time," Lana let her eyes drift back to meet Lex's. "And I didn't like it, so I thought that since we were here, stuck together sort of, that I would just get over it. Okay?"  
  
Lex stared at Lana for a minute more, then shoved the car into gear and took off. He didn't say anything for a few minutes, just watched Lana surreptitiously out of the corner of his eye.  
  
"I've noticed the nervous reaction, Lana. I did sort of hope you'd.get over that actually. You know if you want to get anywhere in the business world, you can't let people intimidate you," he finally spoke in a more regulated tone. Lana recognized it right away; it was the one he used when he was telling her some business truth he didn't think she knew. She called it his father voice.  
  
"You sound like someone's father when you talk like that Lex. Like you're lecturing me."  
  
"Actually, I sounded like MY father just then, when he's lecturing me, and since that seems to be all he does, I know it pretty well," Lex admitted with a rueful smile directed towards her.  
  
"Besides people don't intimidate me, Lex, just you. Not at first, but somewhere along the line it just . happened," Lana confessed.  
  
Lex began to get a sneaking suspicion, "When exactly did it 'just happen?' Did I say or do something to make you nervous? I know the whole thing with Jude was upsetting, but I had ."  
  
"It wasn't that, I mean the hand in the box wasn't the most pleasant thing, but that wasn't it. It was after that. Around the time of ." Lana trailed off as bits of memories she couldn't quite recall flashed in and out of her brain. She had seen them before, but could never grab on to them.  
  
"Around what time Lana?" Lex didn't know why he asked, he was pretty sure he already knew the answer. "Around the time you were infected by that flower?"  
  
"Yes," Lana turned around to face Lex again. "Lex, I know you said that nothing happened and that I didn't need to apologize to you, but I still get the weird feeling that I might have . I don't know.done something.," she trailed off, hoping that he would finally fill in the blanks for her.  
  
She wasn't sure why, but the feeling that she really needed to know about those minutes alone with Lex was stronger than ever. He had told her and Clark that all she had done was close down The Talon, smash some mugs, then take his keys, but to her he had hinted at something else.  
  
"Lana, I told you. There was nothing that you needed to apologize for. You were fine." Lex remembered the lie he had told perfectly. He couldn't have told her or Clark the truth, that she had come on to him, tried to seduce him and almost succeeded. If he hadn't known about the flower's effects, things might have gone much further than either of them could have ever imagined.  
  
"That isn't what I asked, Lex. I might not need to apologize for it, but did something happen?" Lana seized on the words that she had overlooked before. Maybe she had done or said something after all? All Lex ever said was that she didn't need to be sorry for it.  
  
"Lana, if whatever you think happened is what has made you so nervous with me, then forget about it. Okay? You didn't do anything," Lex added more forcefully than was necessary, hating this conversation more and more every minute.  
  
Lana however wasn't willing to let it go so easily, "So, did you do something then?"  
  
Lex made a choking noise, but recovered himself quickly, "No, I certainly didn't do anything. Nothing at all. Thanks for that by the way."  
  
Lana laughed, "Just checking. I mean, from what I've heard you aren't known for being a good boy and showing restraint, Lex."  
  
"You have no idea how much restraint I'm capable of, Lana, none at all," Lex remarked cryptically as he swung the sports car into ongoing traffic headed for Metropolis. 


	4. Nicodemus Redux Part 4

As they drove in to Metropolis, the sun was beginning to set over the buildings which gave the city an otherworldly glow. Lana gazed out the window at each passing building, her excitement growing with every block they passed.  
  
"I never asked where we're staying?" Lana saw so many big hotels; she just knew that wherever Lex stayed, it would be the best one.  
  
"Sorry, not at one of those, I hate hotels. I have a place here in town; we're staying there." Lex maneuvered the silver car down another street and pulled up to the largest building Lana had seen so far. It was all glass and steel and had to be well over 100 stories tall.  
  
"90 floors actually, leaving off the 13th, of course," Lex answered her unasked question.  
  
"Wow, this is amazing. How far can you see from the top?" she inquired a little breathlessly as Lex swung the car into the valet drop off.  
  
"I don't know. I've never checked. You'll have to tell me."  
  
The valet rushed forward to open Lana's door and help her out of the car. Lex pulled the three bags out of the back seat and handed them to the valet along with the keys.  
  
"Mr. Luthor, so good to see you again, sir." Lana watched as the valet fawned over Lex, who peeled off some bills for the man without even a glance.  
  
"This is Ms. Lang. She'll be staying here for a few days on business," Lex informed the doorman, who had rushed forward to take the bags from the valet.  
  
"Very good, sir. Ms. Lang, I'm Phillip and if you need anything while you're here, just let me know," the doorman told her as he hit the elevator button for them.  
  
"Thanks, Phillip, I'll remember that," Lana smiled at him as she stepped in to the elevator. Lex followed a few steps behind her.  
  
Lex hit the appropriate button and Lana eagerly peeked around to see what floor they were going to. Lex must have seen her because he leaned a little to his side, effectively blocking her view of the number pad.  
  
"Lex, stop it." She grabbed his shoulders and leaned around him, laughing. "The top floor, we're on the 90th floor?" she sputtered as he chuckled softly at her.  
  
"Yes, my father says that the view is always better from the top down, not the other way around, so the top floor it is."  
  
Lex was amazed that she could change so fast. Here in the elevator she was like a child, excited about getting a new toy. He wondered where the coy, flirtatious woman in his car had gone and if she would be back. That Lana made him nervous, but he kind of liked it.  
  
The elevator doors slid open noiselessly as a soft chime sounded their arrival at the top floor. Lana didn't know what to expect, but was stunned anyway. She was greeted by marble and leather and full-length windows along the far wall. Lana knew that she was gawking like the small town girl that she was, but she couldn't help herself. She staggered off the elevator and let her gaze follow the two, huge, marble columns up and up; it seemed like they would never end. The ceilings had to be at least 16 feet tall.  
  
Lana had to walk up three steps just to get to the landing for the living room and was amazed at what she saw; everything was white. White marble floors and white furniture. White walls with white artwork. The most eye- catching items were the white, silk drapes that hung from the edge of each windowpane and covered the far wall. The drapes seemed to melt seamlessly into the marble on the floor.  
  
"Lex, this is amazing," Lana couldn't think of any other word for it.  
  
"My mother decorated the penthouse and I just left it. I guess it's retro now," he joked, but every time he stepped in here, he was reminded of his mother and how much he missed her. He could still recall sitting on the steps and watching her direct the decorators around the rooms, making sure each space was just as she wanted it.  
  
His father had only been back here once or twice since she'd died; declaring he'd always hated the place, so why come here now? But Lex loved it and had lived here until moving to Smallville. He kept this penthouse and stayed here when he came to town, never with his father. He liked the memories of his mother here much better.  
  
"I'm sorry. Is it hard for you to be here?" Lana was staring at him, seeing his sadness and offering sympathy. She'd unconsciously moved closer to him and gently laid her tiny hand on his arm.  
  
"No, it makes me remember her. I can see her here, moving around and laughing and talking," he replied softly, gazing at Lana, who almost seemed to be part of the decorations. She was small and dark against the large, white starkness, but just as perfect.  
  
"That's nice. I don't really have those tangible memories of my parents." She blinked away tears, not quite sure for whom she cried, herself or Lex.  
  
"What memories do you have?" Lex asked in a soft, almost reverent, tone, afraid to break the spell that was surrounding them.  
  
"Well, I remember feelings, warmth and fun. Happiness mainly. Smells too, my mom smelled like roses, always like roses. I remember that my dad used to hug me so tight I thought I couldn't breath and how safe that felt."  
  
Lex knew even though she was looking right at him, she wasn't seeing him, but recalling each, precious memory. Her eyes were very dark and cloudy and far away. He slowly lifted his hand and gently ran a finger down her cheek, wiping away a stray tear that had escaped. His touch seemed to bring her back to the present and she focused on him once again.  
  
"Lex," Lana whispered in a soft, inviting voice. He felt himself being pulled into her and knew that he should stop himself, but couldn't, honestly, didn't want to. Lex leaned down slightly, his eyes riveted to her parted lips, which were waiting for his to capture them. Somewhere an alarm went off in his head, but he ignored it.  
  
Lana leaned further toward Lex, willing him not to stop, but to come to her. She wanted him so much; she was afraid that she would really cry if he stopped. Her heart pounded like a drum in her chest and her hands shook slightly, so she gripped his arm tighter, digging her nails into the soft folds of his leather coat.  
  
Just before his lips touched hers, he stopped and tried to gain some kind of control. "Lana, this is not a good idea," he breathed the words into her waiting mouth.  
  
"I think it's a great idea. The best one I've had in a long time," she whispered back.  
  
Lex knew that something wasn't right about this, but his foggy brain couldn't figure out what it was. What about Clark, he finally asked himself?  
  
Clark! Lex pulled back and stepped away from Lana and took a few, deep breaths. Too close, he berated himself.  
  
"Lex, what . what is that noise?" she hissed already missing his heat close to her.  
  
"What noise... oh damn, the alarm, I knew that I forgot something," he spun around and walked to the wall pad where he punched in the code to deactivate the alarm system. He knew that a security team would be there any minute.  
  
"You can use the room down at the end of the hall, so why don't you go and get settled? Security should be here to check the alarm," Lex threw at Lana over his shoulder, not wanting to face her just yet.  
  
Lana wanted to say something that would call that moment back, but she knew that it was gone. For now, she amended silently as Lex strode away to answer the questioning guards that had just stepped out of the elevator. She grabbed her bags and went down the hallway that Lex had indicated.  
  
The room was incredible and Lana never wanted to leave it. It was as white as the living room with a huge, four-poster bed draped in white gauze and white lace. Lana jumped up on it and laid back, spreading her arms wide, but still not touching the sides of the large bed. She idly wondered what Lex's room looked like. Was it all white like this one or was it the one room that was different, that stood out? She smiled wickedly to herself as she imagined how flustered he would be if she walked in there right now and stretched out on his bed. What had gotten into her, she wondered? None of this was like her. Not the being attracted to Lex part, it was impossible not to be, but acting on it, that was definitely not her.  
  
But somehow, here and now, she didn't care if it was like her or not. She didn't want to be the good girl who everyone knew in Smallville, angelic, sweet, boringly perfect Lana. She didn't want to be predictable or practical; she didn't want to be the girl who only had pastels in her closet. She wanted to be the woman who was going out with Lex Luthor tonight, who belonged in Metropolis.  
  
Lana jumped off the bed, grabbed her bags and began to unpack. She had several things that needed to be hung up, so she headed towards the closet with them. When she saw that the closet was as big as her room at home, she gaped in astonishment. Lex had said that most clubs didn't get started until late, so they could grab a bite first and then, see whichever group she wanted to first.  
  
She spent a good, ten minutes trying to decide which dress she should wear out. Lana finally selected the one that she thought would be the most appropriate. She smiled to herself in the bathroom mirror as she imagined each second of tonight.  
  
*************************************  
  
Lex slammed the bedroom door harder than he'd intended to. Whatever was going on was way out of control as far as he was concerned. First, he had somehow gotten talked in to bringing Lana with him to Metropolis when he'd only wanted to come in order to insure that the serum was delivered to Lionel. Then, he'd gotten drawn in to a dangerous conversation with her about what had or hadn't happened last year. And, last, but most certainly not least, there'd been the almost-kiss in the entranceway.  
  
It was just being here and talking about his mother that had made him so vulnerable, he tried to convince himself. Of course, Lana staring at him with those big, brown eyes and leaning into him like that hadn't helped. Then, there was the way that she'd whispered his name and dug her nails into his arm.  
  
"Dammit!," he cursed. This wasn't getting things under control. He was tempted to just turn around and take Lana back to the relative safety of Smallville right now, but that would tell her that he couldn't restrain himself and he most assuredly could. His father had always told him never to show weakness and Lex believed that, especially when it came to women.  
  
"Okay, so just do it then. Dinner and a nice, crowded, noisy club is sounding better all the time," he reasoned as he stalked toward the closet and pulled out some black trousers and a dark gray sweater.  
  
As he got ready, things began to look less grim. What had happened before was just one of those things, one of those movie things. The setting was perfect and they had both gotten carried away. If he knew Lana, she was probably hiding in the closet, afraid to face him now. She would be as embarrassed as he was annoyed and he would tell her to forget about it and it would be over.  
  
As Lex smoothed his slacks, he felt much better about everything. It was just one of those things, nothing to really worry about, he decided. He grabbed his cell phone and wallet, opened the door and strode out in to the living room. The lights were off and as he went to flip them on, a movement by the windows caught his eye.  
  
"Lana?" he called out her name in the dark room. His eyes adjusted and he realized that she was standing on the balcony and the curtains blowing in the wind was the movement that he'd seen.  
  
"You can see every light in Metropolis from here. But don't turn on the lights, come and look." Lana held out her hand and motioned him to join her.  
  
Lex hadn't really ever stood on the balcony and stared at the lights; he didn't see the point. But he didn't want to be rude, so he shrugged and went out on to the balcony, positioning himself several feet behind Lana.  
  
Without turning around, Lana proceeded to point out different buildings and what they were. She sounded just like a tour guide, but Lex hardly heard a word that she was saying. As Lana spoke, his eyes wandered up from the high heels with the tiny, ankle straps on her feet to the sheer, black hose that encased her shapely legs to the hem of her silky, black dress which hit well above her knees. The smooth fabric clung provocatively to her soft curves all the way up to where the dress dipped below her lower back, exposing a tantalizing amount of smooth, sunkissed skin.  
  
Her dark, glossy hair hung loose and straight down her back and Lex had the irresistible urge to reach out and stroke it. So much for getting things under control, he admonished himself.  
  
"Are you ready to go?" he asked more harshly than he'd intended.  
  
Lana stopped mid-speech, whirling around to face him, and Lex instantly wished that he'd kept his mouth shut. The dress was just as form-fitting in the front as it was in the back, but it covered flesh rather than exposed it, reaching up around her neck and concealing her slender arms with long, flared sleeves. The style should have been modest. However, it was anything but. It teased and promised a number of untold delights.  
  
"Is something wrong?" Lana asked uncertainly. She wasn't sure why, but Lex looked angry and dangerous, which was not part of her plan for tonight.  
  
"No, nothing, let's go," Lex barked and turned around without waiting to see if Lana had followed him. When he reached the elevator, he turned back and saw that she was still standing on the balcony. Damn, he cursed to himself. Most people jumped when he used that tone; he had modeled it perfectly after his father's.  
  
"Lana, are you ready?" he tried again, gesturing toward the elevator.  
  
Lana just tilted her head to the side as she spread her arms and leaned back against the balcony railing. "No, I'm not."  
  
Lex tossed his coat over the chair as he stalked back on to the balcony to face her.  
  
"Alright, Lana, you win. Whatever it is, I'm confused, totally confused." Lex threw up his hands in surrender.  
  
"Win? Is this a game, Lex? Did I know we were playing?" Lana laughed and leaned her head back so that she could see the stars.  
  
"Did you know . you started it! What is with that dress, Lana? I know that it isn't yours. They don't even sell anything like that in Smallville."  
  
Lana dropped her head back down and slowly flicked her tongue over her lips before answering, "So, do you like the dress or don't you? I can't tell."  
  
"Do I . Lana, I swear, I will put you back in that car ."  
  
"You sound like your father again, Lex," she interrupted.  
  
"Yea, well, I sure don't feel like it," he countered, hoping that she would get the point and stop staring at him like she was a cat and he was a big, fat mouse. He was used to being the predator, not the prey.  
  
But she didn't look away; her eyes stayed locked on his. "Good, I don't want you to feel like that either."  
  
Lana waited to see how Lex would answer, but he didn't. He just stood before her, returning her brazen gaze. Finally, he shoved his hands in to his pockets and asked in a cool voice, "What do you want me to feel, Lana?"  
  
"I want you to want me, Lex. As much as I want you," she responded honestly.  
  
He should have been prepared for her frank reply. But he'd thought that when he'd put it to her bluntly that she would back down. He was stunned that she hadn't and equally stunned by her words 'Want her?' Was she kidding? "Since when, Lana? This is a little out of character, isn't it?"  
  
"Out of character for whom Lex? The sweet girl who never does or says anything she really means or wants or the one who wants something and goes after it?" Lana let her arms drop away from the railing and tilted her head to the side.  
  
"I don't think that it's so wildly out of character. I wanted The Talon saved and I got it, I wanted to come to Metropolis with you and here I am, I want you and well .," she trailed off suggestively, letting her eyes drop to his mouth.  
  
"What about Clark, Lana?" Lex used the best weapon in his arsenal to deflect Lana's advances. He figured that its chances of success were good since it was the same argument that he used with himself every time that he had a stray thought about Lana.  
  
"What about him? I like Clark, very much, he's sweet and nice and has impeccable timing. He's cute too, but I'm not with him, my choice as well as his, I guess. So, what about him?" Lana queried as she slowly walked towards Lex.  
  
Lex struggled mightily to retain his composure. "He's crazy about you, Lana, has been since I met him. And just because you two have had some . obstacles along the way that doesn't mean that his feelings have changed."  
  
Lana listened to Lex tell her why what she wanted was wrong, but noticed that he didn't back away as she got closer to him and knew that this was a good sign.  
  
"I can't help that. Like I said, I care about Clark and if things were different, then I might not want to be here with you. But I do. If things were different, then I might not be so attracted to you either. But they aren't," she concluded softly as she stopped in front of him and laid a hand on his chest.  
  
Lex didn't wait to decide or to stop himself. He reached down and ran his hand along her cheek and his thumb over her parted lips just before he leaned down and closed his own over her's. Her body molded to his and her hands went around his neck so that she could pull herself up on tiptoe.  
  
Lex slid his other hand around Lana's waist and steadied her against him, pulling her tighter into him as he did. Lana moaned as his probing tongue touched her's, hot and invading. His mouth slanted again and again over hers, while his hand tangled in her hair. She felt like she was falling and loved it. It wasn't like anything that she'd experienced with Whitney or even the few times that Clark had kissed her. It was hungry and demanding. She couldn't just sit back and watch, Lex made her participate, demanded it of her. It was overwhelming and she loved it.  
  
Lana ran her hands over Lex's shoulders and felt the muscles strain and stretch the fabric of the sweater. She moved one hand down the arm he had wrapped around her waist, squeezing any time he loosened his grasp on her a little. The other hand traveled of its own volition up his shoulder to his neck and then, to his head. She was used to the feel of hair sliding between her fingers, but this was different. Lex's head was soft and smooth and Lana loved the feel of it under her hands.  
  
When she ran her nails lightly along the base of his skull, he groaned into her mouth. She chuckled at his reaction. "Sorry, I have to remember that one."  
  
"Remember what?" Lex lifted his head and stared at Lana's swollen lips, swollen from his thorough ravishment of them, he reminded himself.  
  
Lex dropped his hands from her and backed away a few steps. "That was a big mistake . it's just the whole setting, the balcony at night, that's all."  
  
Lex wanted to retreat to his room and gain a little control after that kiss. It had left him shaken and that wasn't good. He had been with a lot of women; he had attracted them for a long time. Some had been attracted to him, but most to who he was and his money and position. He had quickly learned to separate the two and realized that most fell into the latter category, no matter what they said.  
  
But this was different; Lana had never been impressed with his name or with his money and position. He knew that she wasn't standing there, lips parted, eyes glazed because she wanted his money. He knew it was because she wanted him and truth be told he wasn't too comfortable with that.  
  
Lana could tell that Lex was already regretting the kiss, probably thinking of Clark again, she mused.  
  
"Okay, if you say so. I'm starved. Are you ready?" she sauntered past him, grabbed her shawl from the sofa, and continued to the elevator, not daring to look and see if Lex was staring at her or not. 


	5. Nicodemus Redux Part 5

"Starved? Sure. Okay, let's do that," Lex recovered quickly. He realized that Lana was up to something, but he was too intrigued to argue with her again.  
  
He hit the elevator button to take them to the first floor, but stayed on one side of the small chrome and dark wood box, carefully avoiding Lana.  
  
"Don't worry, Lex, you said it was a mistake, so that's that, right?" Lana joked when she noticed that he was practically huddled in the corner.  
  
"Lana, look," Lex turned to face her, "if you want to stop being, what did you say, 'the good girl of Smallville?' Then, that's great. It has to be tiring by now, but I don't think that using me to do it is the best idea. People could get hurt that way."  
  
"Is that what you think I'm doing, Lex? That's nice and here I thought I was just being honest." Lana refused to look at him, but stared at the light that bounced from number to number on the elevator panel.  
  
"I didn't mean." he searched for the right words, ".it's just that last week you were... well, not like this... and now you're forceful and.seductive. It's strange Lana."  
  
"Well, at least I got one part right. And Lex, if I had wanted to stop being the good girl, I could have done that with Whitney, I didn't have to come here," Lana threw over her shoulder as the elevator stopped on the first floor and she got out.  
  
Lex shook his head as she waited for him, her black-shod foot tapping on the ground impatiently. He didn't know what other arguments to use for why she was here. He had used convenience, but that wasn't the case. He had used her trying to change her image and that obviously wasn't her motivation either. So that left only that she wanted to be here with him and he still couldn't accept that.  
  
"Lex?" Lana called to him and he realized that both she and the doorman were staring at him. He stepped off the elevator, nodded to Phillip, and guided Lana out through the double doors.  
  
He steered her toward a sleek, black, Mercedes coupe that waited at the edge of the driveway. She wanted to ask about the car, but was much more fascinated by the warm hand that Lex had placed on the small of her back. His hand radiated heat throughout her body, making her feel all tingly. She climbed in to the back seat as Lex gave directions to the driver.  
  
"You don't drive in the city?" Lana inquired as Lex slid in beside her, careful to leave enough space between them so that their legs didn't touch. Lana wanted to laugh at that and because he had been so careful about it, she purposefully slid sideways and turned so that she faced him. She bent one of her knees against the leather seat and let it rest, just brushing against Lex's leg.  
  
Lex glanced down as her knee settled against his leg and then back up at Lana, who wasn't staring out the window at Metropolis, but at him. "No, it's easier to get a car or take a cab. I figured the car would be better tonight."  
  
"So, which group did you want to see tonight and where are they?" Lex asked casually, still trying to sort out his confused feelings about what was happening.  
  
Lana's response was equally casual as she turned to look out the window at the passing buildings, "There's a singer, who's supposed to be up and coming; her name's Basha and she's a Tori Amos type from what I've heard. She's playing at some club called 'Bar.' Isn't that funny?"  
  
"It's a decent enough place, very trendy. Not a problem, we can get in there," Lex replied smoothly, but he really wanted to groan out loud when Lana made her announcement. Bar was the place to be now; it was dark and steamy and had many, hidden areas where lots of illicit things went on. Some girl had enticed him there a while ago by telling him that the club smelled like sex. Lex had been intrigued and had to admit that she'd been right, but taking Lana there now was making him nervous.  
  
"Are you sure there isn't some other person you would rather hear tonight or something else you would rather do?" Lex queried, hoping that she would change her mind.  
  
Lana continued to gaze out the window and away from Lex, hiding her smile. She had already heard all about this place from Chloe, whose cousin went to school in the city. It was the perfect setting as far as she was concerned.  
  
"Yes, I'm sure. Why is there something wrong with the place?" she inquired innocently, turning large questioning eyes back to Lex.  
  
Lex grimaced and shook his head, "No, it's fine. Just checking."  
  
Lana decided to give Lex another option and wondered idly which one he would choose. "Of course, you have that indoor swimming pool, so you could teach me to swim." She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing as she leveled a serious gaze on him.  
  
"You don't know how to swim?" Lex was surprised that Lana didn't know how to do something so easy. Wasn't taking a dip in one of the local, swimming holes what a nice, Kansas girl did to entertain herself in the heat of the summer?  
  
"Well, I've never been very good at the breast stroke and I know you are," she said teasingly.  
  
Lex knew that he should have seen that one coming from a mile away, but hadn't. He grimaced again at the impression that his behavior must have made on a 10 year old Lana. "Uh, I think that the pool back at the penthouse is closed," he sputtered lamely.  
  
Lana laughed out loud, noticing that even in the dark, Lex's blush was obvious. "Oh well, maybe some other time then." 


	6. Nicodemus Redux Part 6

Part 6  
  
They pulled up in front of one of Lex's favorite restaurants in the city, Grazia. "I didn't ask, but I hope that you like Italian?" he questioned as he helped Lana out of the car. Her hand tightened on his as she slid first one leg and then, the other toward him. He pulled her up out of the car, but didn't step back as he did, so her body brushed against his as she stood.  
  
"Love it," was all she said.  
  
"Mr. Luthor, welcome back. If you'll wait a moment, I will arrange for a table in the back for you," the maitre d' announced as he ushered Lex and Lana inside the elegant restaurant.  
  
"No, actually, one on the balcony would be better, Alberto," Lex corrected the sycophantic man.  
  
"Absolutely. Just a moment then." And he hurried off to get the table ready.  
  
Lana leaned into Lex and whispered, "So, which do you prefer, being fawned over or being ignored?"  
  
Lex glanced down at her upturned face and noticed that she had hooked her tiny hand through the crook of his arm. He caught a few, inquisitive looks from other diners and wondered if the two of them looked as intimate as he felt. He squinted slightly at Lana as he processed what she'd asked.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Well, in Smallville everyone either ignores you or is afraid of you and here they fawn all over you, just wondering which was better?"  
  
"Oh." Lex thought about it as he followed the maitre d' with Lana still on his arm. He motioned the man away as he reached for Lana's chair himself and waited as she settled gracefully into it.  
  
Lex took the other seat and cast a quick glance around. The table was on the balcony and against the wrought iron railing, but still at the end of the row, which gave them some privacy. Lex grimaced as Alberto told them for the fourth time that if they needed anything, all they had to do was ask and it would be theirs.  
  
"I guess I like the other better after all," Lex answered ruefully when the man had scooted off.  
  
"Really, I kind of like this, it's different," Lana laughed with delight as she gazed around the city.  
  
"That's precisely why I like the other," Lex told her as he casually tossed the black napkin on to his lap.  
  
"Because it's different? I never thought about that before. Do you even notice all of this?" Lana gestured around her. "Do you even notice all of the people staring at you?"  
  
Lex glanced around as Lana spoke and wondered what she meant by 'all of this?' The city or the restaurant, he wasn't sure.  
  
"I notice all of the men who stare at you, Lana," he brought his gaze back to rest on her. Her eyes were aglow in the city lights and her cheeks were flushed. He was starting to think that their kiss on the balcony hadn't been a mistake after all.  
  
Lana leaned back in her chair and stretched her legs out in front of her, crossing them carefully, her gaze never leaving Lex's face. "Really, I only notice one."  
  
The waiter had to clear his throat several times before either Lex or Lana realized that he was there and that only earned him an annoyed, "What?" from Lex.  
  
"M-m-may I bring you something to drink?" the man stammered while Lana giggled.  
  
Lex grabbed the wine list and gave it a cursory glance before snapping, "The Two Hearts Sangiovesse is fine." The waiter hurried off, glad for any reason to leave the table.  
  
"Two Hearts? How sweet," Lana had to bite her lip to stop giggling.  
  
"It's the name of the wine, nothing personal. So, what do you like?" Lex opened the menu to see what the specials were and also to give himself a minute. He knew he was slowly being pulled in with Lana. Whatever she wanted was tugging at him. It hit nerves that he had thought were tightly locked away.  
  
A beautiful, amazing woman was one thing to wish for, but one that was sweet and good on top of that was a fantasy. Especially one that wasn't after his money or his position. Being at the penthouse, his mother's penthouse, had added to that fantasy. He never took anyone there, not women anyway. He didn't want anything cheap to mix with that perfect memory he had of her. But Lana being there was different, special. He wondered if his mother would have liked her and somehow knew that she would have.  
  
The waiter came and poured the wine that Lex was hardly aware of tasting and approving; he was too preoccupied, trying to sort out feelings he hadn't even known were there. Not only were they there, but they were stronger and more intense than he'd ever thought possible before.  
  
For the first time in a very long while, Lex wanted someone who had nothing to do with his father or with some kind of game. The one woman he could say he'd really been involved with had been Victoria and that had never been about wanting, but about positioning. She'd used him and he'd used her and that was the way Lex liked it . . . before now.  
  
Lana wanted to ask Lex what he was thinking about, but his stare was so serious that she opted not to interrupt his silent reverie. Besides I may be much closer to what I want than I thought, she mused. She wasn't sure why Lex had been so resistant to her so far, but she was going to change that. She had made the decision to seduce him and he was going to be seduced even if she had to make up tricks to achieve her goal.  
  
But what happens after you do that, a little voice inside her head wondered. Lana ignored the question and instead reached out and laid her hand over Lex's.  
  
"Earth to Lex, come in."  
  
Lex scowled as his attention was brought back to the here and now and to Lana. He felt her hand on his and slowly turned his over so that his palm rested against her's. Their fingers intertwined and stroked each other, their eyes locked.  
  
"May I tell you the specials now or do you want me to come back?" the ubiquitous waiter queried nervously as Lex shot him another, angry glare.  
  
Lana chuckled as she pulled her hand away, "Talk about bad timing."  
  
"Now is fine," Lex ground out each word between clenched teeth, furious that the moment had been broken.  
  
"Lana, do you know what you want or do you need more time?" Lex inquired as he noticed that Lana hadn't even opened her menu.  
  
"No, I don't need more time, I'm ready," she replied in a soft, but self- assured voice, imbuing the words with a double meaning. Lex wondered if the waiter picked up the same nuance that he did. "Whatever you think would be good."  
  
Lex couldn't help himself; he had to laugh. Lana really was good at this, better than he would have ever imagined. He wondered where she'd ever learned to hit all the right buttons on a man. Not from the Quarterback, who wouldn't recognize subtlety if he got punched in the face with it. Probably from romance novels then, he thought with a smirk.  
  
"The lady will have the shrimp and asparagus a olio then. I'll have the eggplant," he offered up when he had composed himself.  
  
Lana wanted to close her eyes and remember each perfect second of dinner; it was better than anything else she'd ever experienced before. Each taste of the meal and then, dessert was better than the bite before. She wanted to remember each second of Lex too. He was charming and witty and kept her laughing all during dinner, telling her stories of different places and people in the city.  
  
"Enough, I can't take anymore. You made all of that up, I know it." She threw her hands up in surrender as the table was cleared of the dessert dishes.  
  
"I did not, I swear they were all true...more or less," Lex jokingly amended when he saw her begin to argue with him.  
  
"'More or less?' I knew it," Lana threw back at him, letting her hands fall into her lap.  
  
"Mr. Luthor, will there be anything else this evening?" Lana knew that the waiter had to be glad that Lex had stopped glaring and barking at him each time he came to the table.  
  
"That will be all, thank you. Just the check," Lex replied as he tossed his napkin on the table and watched Lana fold her's into a perfect triangle and lay it down.  
  
"I'm going to go and check my lipstick. Be right back." Lana leaned down and grabbed her purse as Lex stood part way up out of his chair. She smiled as she brushed past him, stopping to put her hand on his shoulder and brush a brief kiss on his cheek. "How sweet," she commented.  
  
Lana wondered if it had been the two glasses of wine that was making her so reckless, but while she walked to the bathroom, she plotted a way to get Lex to skip the club and go back to the penthouse. A noisy club filled with people wasn't where she wanted to be just now. The thought of the quiet, dark penthouse sent a shiver of excitement up her spine.  
  
"Lana? Lana Lang," a man's voice stopped her mid-fantasy.  
  
"Yes," she swung around to see Lionel Luthor standing in front of her with a quizzical look on his bearded face.  
  
"Mr. Luthor, how are you?" she inquired politely, hoping that Lex wouldn't see his father and allow him to ruin their night.  
  
"I saw Lex, but I couldn't believe that that was you with him." Lionel had been sure that it had been some other woman. The Lana he remembered was a child and not someone who would have interested his son, but this wasn't the same, little girl who wore braids and pink, frilly dresses.  
  
"Well, it is," Lana said a bit tersely. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go..." she started to turn away but Lionel's hand on her arm stopped her.  
  
"You've certainly grown since the last time I saw you, grown quite a lot actually. Is your aunt in town with you? She should have called. I would have been happy to escort you around so that you wouldn't be stuck with my.rather morose son." Lionel smiled and leaned down like it was some kind of private joke. Lana wanted to smack him.  
  
"That's very kind of you, Mr. Luthor, but actually I'm here with Lex. A business trip for The Talon, so I'm not really 'stuck,'" she assured him in a crisp tone as she shook off his hand.  
  
"With Lex? How interesting. Hmmm, I guess I should have come over to the table after all." Instead he had just sat and watched his son, obviously smitten with the woman at his table. Finding out that it was little Lana made the situation all the more intriguing.  
  
"So, business for that little coffee thing of Lex's . . ." Lionel decided to try something just to see what would happen, "I thought he told me that he was thinking about selling it or shutting it down or something?"  
  
Lana wanted to scream, but instead just smiled even brighter, "No, you must be confused. Lex isn't doing either."  
  
"Well, I guess I misunderstood then." Lionel found it interesting that Lana was so willing to trust Lex without a moment's hesitation.  
  
Lionel moved a few steps closer to Lana under the guise of making room in the hallway for someone to pass. "I have to say, Lana, you look very . . ." he eyed her up and down in an appraising way, "fetching tonight. I guess I won't be able to think of you as a little girl anymore."  
  
Listening to his father, Lex thought that he was going to be sick. He had paid the check and wondering why Lana was taking so long, had gone to look for her. When he'd seen Lionel leering at Lana, he'd wanted to intercede on her behalf, but long years of waiting and watching were too ingrained. So, he stayed just around the corner, waiting to see exactly what his father was up to. It was pretty obvious now; he was hitting on Lana.  
  
Before he could reveal himself and stop his father from going any further, Lana started to laugh. A sarcastic and almost nasty laugh.  
  
"You are kidding, right? Oh my God, you aren't. You're actually putting a move on me." Lana was disgusted, not to mention outraged too, but rather than slinking away like she normally would have, she just guffawed again.  
  
"Let me get this straight, Lionel," she called him by his first name as if they were equals, "you saw me having dinner with Lex and you followed me to see who I was and now you're trying to seduce me? Lex is sitting 10 feet away." Lana closed the short distance between Lionel and herself and spat her words into his anger-mottled face.  
  
"You're pathetic. Do you seriously think that I would be flattered by this, by you, you depraved, old man? It's sick that you're hitting on your son's date. Sick, Lionel," she chastised him.  
  
Lionel struggled mightily to keep his anger under control. He didn't want this insignificant teenager to know that she'd managed to shred his ego with a few, well-aimed barbs. No, better that she think that this was all some, big misunderstanding on her part. "If that's what you think I was doing, Miss Lang, then "  
  
"What I think is that there is no way I would throw Lex away for you. I don't know what you see when you look at him, but let me tell you what I see. He's young and sexy and powerful, all the things you used to be and you see slipping away." A mean, nasty smile curved the corners of Lana's pretty, wine-colored lips; she was enjoying putting Lionel in his place.  
  
"So, if you'll excuse me, I need to get back." She ignored Lionel's glare and smoothly walked around him, turning back briefly to deliver the parting shot, "Oh and I'll tell Lex you said hello."  
  
Lex couldn't believe his ears. Lana had stood up to his father; she'd defended him, she'd chosen him. Had she really meant everything that she'd said or had she just been antagonizing Lionel? Lex hastily stepped backward on to the balcony and waited until Lana reappeared at the corner of the hallway before going to join her.  
  
"Ready?" he asked as he draped the shawl around her shoulders.  
  
"The ladies' room was a wait, sorry," she apologized with a sweet smile.  
  
"No problem, your lipstick's fine." Lex carefully avoided looking down the hallway leading towards the restrooms as they passed, guessing correctly that his father was still standing there with his mouth hanging open in astonishment.  
  
Lex replayed the conversation between Lana and his father over and over again in his head on the way back to the car. He still couldn't wrap his mind around what Lana had said. She'd been so blunt and rude in dealing with Lionel; he must be purple with rage right about now. Not that he hadn't deserved it, but it was still something to see. And in a way it wasn't out of character; Lana had also set him down a peg or two before. There definitely must be something in the corn in Smallville, Lex thought.  
  
Lana slid into the back of the car and shook out her hair, pushing some stray strands behind her ear as Lex eased in beside her. She turned towards him, remembering that she was going to feign a headache or something to get out of going to the club, but Lex moved at that same moment.  
  
He shut the car door behind him with one hand, then anchored the other one behind her head and pulled her to him. His mouth locked on her's and his teeth nipped at her lips until she opened them and let his probing tongue invade. Lana groaned and grabbed at the front of Lex's sweater, steadying herself against him as the car pulled forward.  
  
The kiss was hot and lingering; Lex pushed her back against the plush, leather seat, steadying them with one hand while the other rested on Lana's knee. He worked his way just under where the dress hit to lightly trace small circles with his thumb. The motion over the silk of the pantyhose elicited a moan from Lana, which Lex swallowed.  
  
He broke the kiss, but kept his face inches from her's, "Did you have a nice dinner, Lana?"  
  
Lana didn't even bother to open her eyes when she answered, "Parts of it were very nice."  
  
Lex smiled at her and rested his head against the back of the seat next to her's, "Which parts exactly?"  
  
Lana opened her eyes and shifted slightly so that she was looking at him, "Well, before and after were really very nice and during was nice too." She kept her grip on the front of his sweater with one hand, but the other she linked with his.  
  
"Just 'really nice?' Grazia is one of the best restaurants in Metropolis, Lana," Lex teased as he raised her finger to his lips.  
  
"Well then, it was very nice too," she joked. "Does the driver know where we're going?"  
  
Lex continued to nibble on her fingers. "Yes, he knows. I told him earlier."  
  
"Earlier, that's good." Lana scooted forward so that she was closer to Lex and pulled her hand away from his lips, replacing it with her mouth.  
  
"I think he wants us to get out of the car," Lana murmured against Lex's soft lips a short time later.  
  
The driver had been discreetly clearing his throat for several minutes, but had gone unnoticed by the car's passengers. "How annoying," Lex remarked, lifting his head from the seat and squinting out the side window.  
  
Seeing his chance, the driver jumped out and practically broke in to a jog as he came around to open the door for them. Lex held Lana's hand and pulled her out the open door behind him.  
  
"Lex, this is the club," Lana gaped at the brightly lit establishment in surprise, not sure where the misunderstanding had occurred. She had been sure that they were going back to the penthouse. Hadn't Lex said that?  
  
"I know, this is where your girl is singing right?" Lex knew that she was confused, but for the first time all day he felt like he'd gained some control back. You're not the only one who can throw someone off, Lana, he chuckled to himself.  
  
Lana could tell he was playing with her and she didn't like it one bit. "Singing?" Lana pulled back as Lex moved forward into the crowd that was gathered outside the club's entrance. "Are you kidding? Lex, I thought we were going back to the penthouse?"  
  
Lex threw her a bemused look, as he pulled on her hand just hard enough to send her stumbling forward, "Isn't hearing these groups play the reason you came to the city, Lana?"  
  
Lana knew that she was trapped and she was none too happy about it. She frowned at Lex and jerked her hand free. He started to step toward her, but she tossed her hair and gave him a dazzling smile before brushing past him and moving in the direction of the door.  
  
"Of course it is, I just thought that you'd forgotten," she answered breezily as she turned a beaming smile on the large bouncer. "Excuse me," she tapped his enormous chest with one, small finger, "can I get in please?"  
  
Lex watched Lana work her wiles on the bouncer and knew from the enamored expression on his face that he was going to just step aside and let her in. Lex should have been irritated, but he just laughed instead. She only came up to the big bruiser's waist and yet she was the one who was in control.  
  
"We would like to get in actually." Lex hooked an arm around Lana's waist and hauled her up against him before she could sashay into the club and leave him standing on the street.  
  
"Of course, Mr. Luthor, go right in," the bouncer replied quickly, but Lex noted that he was still staring at Lana. And so it begins, he thought with a wry grimace. 


	7. Nicodemus Redux Part 7

Part 7  
  
Lana smiled sweetly at the man again, then flounced right past him, entering the infamous Bar. The music hit her instantly, almost like a brick wall. It was intense and the beat vibrated up from the floors and in to her body, snatching her heart and pulse and making them pound with the rhythm. The club's red and orange lights strobbed on and off in time with the same beat.  
  
Lex made his way to the far right end of the balcony that overhung the dance floor and stage. He kept Lana in front of him, one arm locked protectively around her. The crowd thinned out down at the end and it was easier to have some space of their own.  
  
The singer had a deep, raspy voice that was lamenting appropriately enough about stolen kisses in an alley and how that left her in chains. The song was mellow and almost quiet, but the beat behind it was loud and driving. As Lex led them along, Lana stared, transfixed, at the bodies that crowded the floor, pressing against each other indiscriminately. The room smelled of stale smoke and fog and sweat. It invaded her senses, almost overwhelming them.  
  
They listened to a few songs, one after the other becoming more intense and provocative, leading them from dark alleys to dark bedrooms, from stolen caresses to ones give freely and then begged for.  
  
"I take it that's her?" Lex leaned down and shouted in her ear as he stroked his hand up and down her bare back. The rest of the noise and all of the unfamiliar smells receded until all that Lana felt was Lex's warm hand caressing her naked skin. She leaned back and moved her hand slowly up and down his leg.  
  
"Yes, that's her, I like it." She almost purred as Lex's hand snaked around her waist, inside the folds of the dress, and pressed her back against him. He traced a maddening trail from the top of her lace underpants back to her bare stomach over and over again. She reacted to the tightness in his body and pressed against it, grinding her hips slightly to the drummer's beat. She wondered how long Lex would hold out before he dragged her out of here.  
  
Lex was wondering the same thing, especially when Lana began to sway her hips slightly from side to side. Great, he chastised himself, you lost control in a matter of minutes this time. Before he would have asked himself if she had any idea what she was doing to him, but now he knew for sure that she did. She wanted to get him worked up; she wanted him to crave her. He tried to think of something else, but her tantalizing movements were all that his body could focus on.  
  
Lex didn't know what would happen when they got back to the penthouse. He didn't know if he would be able to handle a few kisses and some fondling on the sofa, then, 'Good night, Miss Lang, sleep well 200 feet from me." He already wanted her too much, more then she realized obviously or she wouldn't continue to tease him like this.  
  
Lex was confident that the Quarterback had made sure to keep anything remotely resembling passion away from sweet, innocent, little Lana and he was equally sure that Clark would never have dreamed of going there with her either. Clark, now why did he have to think about him? Lex still wasn't sure what to do about that. His friend would be crushed when he found out Lana was here with him and if he knew what she was doing with her hips at the moment, his wholesome, Kent morality would have been deeply offended.  
  
"Do you think Smallville is ready for this? Lex asked when the music took a decidedly more sexual turn, words about lust and sex filling the club.  
  
"I think if I'm ready for it, then Smallville is ready for it." Lana twisted around slightly so that she could answer him.  
  
"Lana, as much as I enjoy that little movement, it would be a good idea to stop it," Lex hissed back quietly in her ear, his warm breath giving her goosebumps.  
  
Lana stopped her gyrating and turned fully inside Lex's arm, "Sorry, the beat pulled me in. I was just dancing." Lana leaned forward against him so that she could whisper in his ear. "Don't you like to dance, Lex?"  
  
"If you like her, book her. And that wasn't dancing, Lana. At least, not the dancing you do in public," he whispered back, groaning when her tongue flicked out and licked at his ear.  
  
Lana had heard enough of the music. She was tired of being in the club and wanted to leave. "Would you dance with me in private then?" she queried, but it sounded more like an invitation.  
  
The music turned into a steady, pulsating beat that filled the room and shook the walls, but neither Lex nor Lana heard it. "Let's get out of here," Lex said in soft, seductive voice as he stroked his thumb in long, sleek movements up and down her neck.  
  
"Finally," Lana muttered, but just smiled when Lex glanced at her questioningly.  
  
******************************************************************  
  
The elevator slid gracefully to a halt on the top floor and Lex moved slightly to the side to let Lana past him. He had used the car ride back and the elevator ride up to regain some control over his raging hormones. He was going to need it if he planned to be any kind of a gentlemen with Lana tonight.  
  
The balcony door was still open and the curtains rustled slightly in the cool, evening breeze. Lana unhooked one shoe and let it drop and then, the other fell behind it as she made her way on to the balcony. The view was amazing. She didn't think that she could ever get sick of it. She had told Clark once that she used to dream her parents were still alive and they would come to get her and take her to her real life in Metropolis. This view was definitely part of that dream.  
  
"What do you see?" Lex inquired as he leaned against the doorframe, watching Lana lean out over the balcony railing.  
  
Lana glanced behind her and smiled at him. He looked relaxed again, comfortable. He had shed his leather coat and pushed the sleeves of the sweater up.  
  
"Life, all of it down there," she gestured down to the city below. "I've always wanted to be here, in this kind of life."  
  
"So, how does it feel to get that...finally?" Lex crossed to stand beside her and look down on the city. He had never bothered to before, but seeing it like this was pretty incredible. Of course, he knew that from down there things looked completely different, but he never planned to be down there.  
  
Lana searched for the words to describe what she felt. "Wonderful, hopeful, powerful, exhilarated, free, scared . . ." she trailed off as she turned to Lex and walked into his arms, "frightened and overwhelmed all at the same time."  
  
Lex rested his cheek against the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tightly against him. As much as he wanted her, he could have stayed like this all night. She felt warm and alive beside him and made him feel that way too.  
  
"Lana, you have no idea what you're doing to me," he managed to choke out after a few minutes, feeling his body react her to against its own internal warnings.  
  
"I hope I'm seducing you. That was the plan anyway." She laughed shakily, pressing her check harder against his chest and tightening the arms that held him to her.  
  
"Oh, you are, you definitely are." Lex pulled back slightly as Lana reached up to encircle his neck with her arms and offer her lips to him.  
  
This kiss was different than before. Lex wasn't demanding or invading; he was soft and giving. He gently nibbled on her bottom lip until she sighed and opened for him to take more. His tongue searched slowly for her's and when she joined him he lengthened the strokes, making her weak and dizzy. His long fingers encircled her waist and lifted her higher against him, so her hips molded to his.  
  
Maybe you shouldn't be doing this, a soft voice whispered to her, as she felt how obvious Lex's arousal was. This was just supposed to be fun, an adventure, but it's becoming something else, something serious. She wanted to scream at the voice to shut up and let her enjoy the moment, but she couldn't because her mouth was pleasantly occupied with other activities. Soon, the voice was lulled in to silence.  
  
Lex slowly lifted his head from Lana, but ran his long fingers up and down her naked spine, keeping her pressed hard against him, "You need to say good night now, Lana. Do you understand?"  
  
Do it, the voice in her head insisted. You don't really know what you're doing. This wasn't supposed to be real, but it is and tomorrow everyone will have to face that. If this is real then there are consequences to tonight, to this, to being with Lex.  
  
Lana blinked a few times, the voice in her head repeating its words over and over and then, leisurely unwound her arms from around Lex's tight shoulders. Taking a few, deep breathes, she backed away from him slowly as if in a trance, her eyes locked to his smoky gaze. Lex turned around and stared out blankly at the city, refusing to watch her leave. It took every ounce of willpower that he had not to beg her to stay with him.  
  
He wasn't sure how long he'd remained in that position out on the balcony, trying to regulate his breathing and heart rate, but Lex guessed that it had been at least ten minutes. Lana should be safely tucked away in the guest room by now, he thought with relief, which meant that the coast would be clear for him to reenter the penthouse.  
  
Lex moved towards the balcony doors that would lead him in to the living room, and slammed them behind him. Once inside, he picked his way around the coffee table, lost in thought. He had no idea when he'd acquired a conscience, but it was a damn nuisance and it was getting in the way of what he wanted.  
  
Lana had offered herself to him once before and he'd taken the high road, a decision that he'd lived to regret in the long, lonely months that had followed. Now history was repeating itself, only the regret was almost instantaneous this time. Plus his body wasn't calming down as quickly as his mind was, it still bore the physical marks of being so close to Lana.  
  
What had transpired that afternoon at The Talon wasn't like this, of course, Lana hadn't been herself; she'd been drugged by the Nicodemus and it had been easier to walk away. But tonight was different. Was it, a doubtful voice asked him? Lana wasn't really acting like herself, no matter what she said. What if that serum had accidentally leaked like Hamilton was afraid it would? Lana had been in the room that day.  
  
But so had he, and he was fine, so that couldn't be it. So, it was just what she'd said, she wanted to be here with him. That would take him some time to get used to, especially with her sleeping so close to him. Stop thinking about her in that bed, he advised himself as his gaze roamed down the hallway to her bedroom door.  
  
He snatched his leather coat off the chair and yanked out the cell phone, smashing the power button to shut it off. He was pretty sure that he wasn't going to get much sleep tonight and he didn't want the phone ringing early in the morning. He stalked towards his own room, muttering to himself about girls with dark hair. He flung the door open, but couldn't stop it from hitting the wall.  
  
Lana sat on his black, silk-covered bed, her slender legs tucked underneath her. "I was curious about what your room looked like. I didn't think that it would be all white, like mine," she spoke uncertainly, not able to tear her gaze away from Lex who was standing in the doorway, his eyes ablaze with desire.  
  
He looked past her, then down at the coat that hung from his fingers and then, back up at Lana perched on his bed. He let the coat drop to the floor and in a few steps covered the space that separated them. He didn't even slow down, just leaned in to her, pushing her back on the bed, his large body enveloping her. Her arms went instinctively around him, pulling him down on top of her.  
  
Lana shivered as Lex's hand ran up her leg, under the dress to lift her thigh tight against him. He kneaded the soft flesh with his hand as his mouth captured her's. She moaned again and again as his probing tongue plunged into her mouth. It enticed her and she matched his caressing rhythm with her own.  
  
She felt like she was falling and wanted to cry out when his hand brushed against the lacy edge of her panties. Lana's fingers clawed desperately at his sweater until they found the edge. She pulled and tugged at the garment until she lifted it over his head. They broke contact for that second only, but Lana hated even that brief separation from Lex's warm lips and hands. She sighed with contentment when he returned to ravishing her mouth.  
  
Again and again, Lex stroked up her thigh to the edge of the lace panties. He wanted to slow down and take his time, but her body was clinging to his and her nails scraped at his back and neck, urging him on. His hand fisted in her hair, winding the silk of it around his fingers. He lifted his hand from her thigh and moved it up her taut body to her neck where the dress hit her skin.  
  
He wrenched his mouth from her's and took ragged breaths as his hand slowly dragged the black material down her body. She shivered when the air hit her skin, so Lex heated her naked flesh with a rain of kisses down the path of the dress. Each time his mouth touched her skin, Lana moaned his name with pleasure. Lex pushed the dress down and away from them and then, ran one, gentle finger inside the band of her lace panties and tugged slightly.  
  
Lana clutched the silk bedspread with one hand and ran the other one along his arm, which was flexed beside her, holding his body over her's. Her glazed eyes locked on his as he lifted himself off of her to shed the remaining barriers between them. Lana raised herself up slightly on to her elbows and stared at Lex. He wondered if he was seeing things or if her skin was actually glowing luminescently in the dark.  
  
When he had shed his clothes, he caught her large stare with his own, "Lana, I need you to be sure about this," he whispered hoarsely, not taking his eyes from her's, knowing that if he let his eyes wander down her naked body he wouldn't give her the time to answer him.  
  
Lana squeezed her eyes shut and let her head drop on to her chest. She listened to her own, harsh breathing and her heart fluttering wildly. She listened to the voice inside her asking if she was sure after all. Maybe earlier she hadn't had any doubts, but now things didn't seem so easy, so clear. She wasn't even sure how she'd gotten here, how this had gone from fun to serious in a matter of kisses.  
  
"Lex . . ." she started and then, lifted her dark eyes to his emotion- filled, blue ones and knew exactly how she'd gotten there, all doubts gone as she her own desire and uncertainty reflected in his eyes. She knew in that instant as much as doubts about tomorrow crept in to her confused mind that Lex was worried about now, that she would lead him here and then reject him. "Yes, I'm sure." She offered her tiny hand to him and welcomed his body into her's as he continued to hold her gaze. 


	8. Nicodemus Redux Part 8

Saturday 7am  
  
Lex stared down at the girl that lay curled beside him. It was still early, but he knew that the rising sun would soon flood the room with streaming light. Lana had her head on his arm and her hand pressed against his chest; their legs were tangled up in the sheets and with each other. He stroked the hair around her face and lifted a strand to his lips.  
  
She hadn't been slumbering for long, but she slept like she was in a coma. Lex envied that; he always slept lightly, hearing every sound the house made. Even now when he was drained and exhausted, he couldn't sleep. For once, Lex didn't mind his erratic, sleeping patterns. If he hadn't been awake, then he wouldn't have been able to watch Lana.  
  
He had an irrational fear that if he closed his eyes, even for a minute, that he would wake to find Lana gone from his bed. So, he stayed alert, holding her, caressing her body, calming her when she stirred in her sleep. Lex knew that there was a danger of him becoming dependent on this, on her, but at this minute he didn't care. He wanted it, all of it, no matter what the consequences.  
  
The first, big problem would be Clark, of course. He hated what the truth would do to his friend and he knew that hurting Clark was sure to upset Lana because she cared for him, but Lex would just have to find a way to tell him. He wouldn't let Lana shoulder that burden; it would be too difficult for her to break Clark's heart. Plus secretly he wondered if it came down to it, would she be able to do it? Lex really hoped that Clark would understand, but was prepared if he didn't.  
  
Nell would be a problem too, not as big of a hurdle as Clark, but Lana's aunt could be unpredictable. She loved the Luthor name and money, so that should take care of some of her objections. But she was pretty protective of her niece. Lex would just have to convince her that Lana being with him was the best thing for her, and Nell.  
  
The way Lex figured it, the biggest problem would be Lana herself. Last night was one thing, but she was still young and in the harsh light of day, things always looked more complicated and scary. He would just have to make this as easy as he could for her. Lex wondered if he should slip out and buy her something? In his experience, a woman liked to be given tokens of affection by her lover. But he couldn't move without Lana waking up, so he decided that shopping would have to wait.  
  
Lex placed one hand on Lana's flat belly and traced small patterns, planning his strategy. His course of action was obvious; he would just overwhelm her, then she wouldn't have time to think about whether a relationship with him was a good idea or not. He would bring her to the city on the weekends and show her the life that she'd always dreamed about. And during the week, he would have that life of sophistication and glamour flown to Smallville for her. Lex smiled as he imagined it all working out the way he was planning.  
  
Lana wasn't sure what that awful noise was, but it was loud and it was reverberating inside her head. She stirred slightly at the faintest touch on her stomach; it was light and caressing and sent shivers though her body. But the second it stopped, that awful pounding overtook her.  
  
She tried to open her eyes, but the light burned and she squeezed them shut again. Lana rolled to her side and hit something solid and warm, which was not a good sign. She snatched her hand away from the warmth it molded to and tried to calm her churning stomach.  
  
Where am I, she thought frantically, only remembering bits and pieces from different places, a restaurant, a club where there was a lot of noise. Why was that noise still in her head? And why couldn't she remember what had happened at those places? Where am I now, she wondered as ice-cold panic began to set in. She wanted to open her eyes and just look, but her throbbing head rebelled at the notion.  
  
Skin, someone's bare skin, that's what she'd just been touching. Oh God, there was a body beside her, a man's body, who could it.Lex! Lana's eyes flew open and she was greeted by the sight of Lex lying next to her. Lana groaned and ran a shaky hand across her forehead, wiping away the gathering beads of sweat.  
  
"Lana, what's wrong?" Lex asked worriedly. He knew that something was off the minute that she'd opened her eyes and looked at him. Her expression was not the contented one that he'd hoped for, nor was it the regretful one that he'd expected. It was confusion and it emanated from every pore of her lovely face.  
  
Lana tried to block out his voice and prayed that if she just ignored him, Lex would go away. But he didn't. Instead, it seemed like he was suddenly closer. He wasn't exactly lying beside her like she'd thought when she first woke up; their limbs were wrapped around each other so that when she turned over, the action just burrowed her deeper in to his arms.  
  
Lana lifted her gaze up slowly until she was staring straight in to Lex's troubled eyes. With a moan of distress, she rolled away from him, trying desperately to disengage her body from both the twisted sheets and Lex. He didn't attempt to stop her and she made it to the edge of the bed before she had to cease moving for fear of passing out.  
  
"What is this? What's wrong with me?" she managed to croak out after her head had stopped swimming.  
  
Lex slid over to where she sat at the edge of the bed, head in hands, her long hair tangling around her shoulders. He slipped behind her and pulled her body back against his, rubbing her head with soft, soothing motions. "I don't know. You were fine last night. Maybe it's some kind of food poisoning? How do you feel?"  
  
Lana didn't want to, but she allowed herself to be dragged back against his body. His naked body, she groaned again. Of course, she was in the same state, so it didn't really matter, did it? And besides she felt too ill to worry about modesty right now. She rested her head on Lex's chest and prayed that the room would stop spinning crazily. It was like being on the Tilt-A-Wheel after eating too much cotton candy.  
  
"The room is spinning and I feel sick, really sick. My head is pounding too," Lana muttered in a raspy voice a few minutes later.  
  
Lex did his best to straighten her sleep-tousled hair as he stroked the silky length of it, a sinking feeling settling in. "Sounds like a hangover," he said quietly.  
  
In an effort to stop his gentle, caressing hands, and her own body's reaction, Lana pulled away from Lex and staggered to her feet. She turned back towards him, not caring about her undressed state. "Hangover? What did you do?" she hissed at him accusingly.  
  
Suddenly, Lex was reminded of how he'd felt on that fateful day in Smallville when his Porsche had hit that bale of wire on the overpass and spun out of control. He'd known with a dreadful certainty that he wouldn't be able to stop the car as it skidded towards Clark, just as he knew now that there was no way to avert Lana's suspicion and recrimination.  
  
"Lana, it isn't like that," he defended himself as his mind raced ahead, trying to figure out a way to assure her and salvage this. "You had maybe two glasses of wine all night..."  
  
"That's not possible. I feel terrible, Lex, and I...we...oh God, I'm going to be sick." She flew to the bathroom with her hand over her mouth and slammed the door shut behind her.  
  
Lex was right on her heels. "Lana! Lana, damn it, open the door. Did you smell the cologne in the green bottle, Lana? Did you? Answer me!" Lex shouted through the locked door, but was rewarded with nothing but silence. He banged angrily on the door a few, more times, then gave up.  
  
What the hell was going on, Lex wondered? Today was starting out a total mess and getting worse by the minute. How could you have been so stupid, he chastised himself? Of course, Lana had somehow inhaled that damn serum. Wasn't last night just a more advanced version of what happened last time? Lex stormed around the room until he found his trousers, which had somehow ended up under the bed and jerked them on, pulling his shirt on next and stomping out of the now eerily quiet bedroom.  
  
Lana heard Lex yelling at her and then, pounding on the door, but ignored him. She lay on the cold tile and waited for the nausea to abate, but she couldn't stop the tears that flowed down her cheeks. How could this have happened, she asked herself over and over?  
  
Lana wasn't sure how long she lay there, but finally, she felt well enough to try and get up. She leaned over the marble-inlaid sink and ran the cold water, splashing it on her face before even daring to glance in the mirror. Lana was surprised at her own reflection. She didn't look nearly as bad as she felt. She was a little pale and her hazel eyes were red-rimmed, but it was her mouth that captured her attention. Her lips were red and swollen and when she ran a shaking finger over them, she found that the skin was sensitive to the touch.  
  
What... she started to ask, but stopped when she realized she already knew the answer. Lex. Last night.  
  
"Oh God," Lana moaned and sank down to the floor again. How did that happen, had he slipped something in to her drink? She shook her head slightly and tried to focus on the events of the previous evening. What did she remember? Lex and his hands and mouth on her body.  
  
Stop thinking about that, she commanded herself, and made a concerted effort to put all thoughts of Lex's strong, experienced hands out of her head. What had happened before they came back to the penthouse and ended up in bed together?  
  
Slowly, it came back to her. The club and the provocative music and Lex's hands on her waist and his deep, sexy voice vibrating in her ear. She also remembered her hand running up and down his leg and that she had wanted him to bring her back here so that they could be alone, so that they could...  
  
Lana didn't want to remember any more than that, so she forced herself to go back further in to her memory. She recalled the restaurant and how perfect the evening had seemed, the wine, the incredible food, the conversation, the flirting. Then, before that to the balcony and that amazing kiss.  
  
But that wasn't all; she knew that there was more. What had Lex asked her, she struggled to remember?  
  
"What do you want me to feel, Lana?"  
  
"I want you to want me, Lex. As much as I want you."  
  
Oh God, she started to cry again. This wasn't his fault, it was her's, all her's. She had done this to herself and to Lex. Once again, she laid her dark head down on the cool marble and let the tears flow freely.  
  
Lex leaned against the bathroom door and squeezed his eyes shut tightly as he listened to Lana weep. Each, plaintive sob made his heart clinch painfully. Great job, really great, he admonished himself. So what that no one could say he'd seduced her or taken advantage of her? He knew that she wouldn't be in there crying her beautiful eyes out if he hadn't had that serum delivered to the house. He knew that he should have just had the damn stuff sent straight to LuthorCorp, but he'd wanted to see it first.  
  
Good plan, Lex. Now how do I fix this?  
  
Lana finally ran out of tears and realized that as bad as things were, she couldn't lay in the bathroom all day. She was relieved that, at least, she was beginning to feel a little better. Well, her stomach didn't, but she wasn't as dizzy and her head didn't throb unless she moved too quickly. She crawled over to the large, walk-in shower and turned on the hot water. She carefully raised herself to her feet, then stepped under the spray, letting it pound against her body.  
  
Her skin was hypersensitive in spots and she winced when the steamy water hit those places, but slowly, it relaxed and calmed her. Lana closed her eyes and let her mind drift and her body melt into the hot spray. She didn't even jump when hands encircled her waist and soft lips nuzzled at her neck. She knew it was wrong, but she leaned back against Lex and let his hands soothe her body.  
  
He whispered tender words over and over in her ear; they were said so softly that she had to strain to hear each of them. Lana, he called, the sound growing more and more insistent. She struggled to turn around and answer him, but his hands were driving her crazy. But he insisted on a response, repeating her name again and again, sounding increasingly urgent each time.  
  
Lana jerked awake with a start. She had fallen asleep, sitting on the floor next to the shower. So, Lex had never been there with her; she'd dreamed it. He was calling her name though; screaming it in fact from outside the bathroom door.  
  
"What?" she finally answered in a tired, tiny voice, wondering if what she'd done would haunt even her dreams.  
  
"Open the door, Lana, it's okay. Just open the door, it's going to be all right." Lex coaxed, trying to keep any hint of frustration out of his voice. He was afraid that if he was too demanding, then he might scare her and she would never come out.  
  
"Lex...I-I-I don't know why...I mean, I can't...believe that I d-d-did..." she didn't know what to say, but she figured that it was better said on this side of the door without him in the room with her. Lana knew that he would overwhelm her and make her feel silly and small and then, she would be struck dumb.  
  
"Lana, it's okay, I promise. Just open the door," he repeated the request.  
  
Lana stood on shaky feet and realized that she didn't have any clothes. She looked around for something to put on. Her eyes landed on a soft, black robe, which hung on a silver stud behind the door. She slid it off and over her shaking body. It was too big, but she gathered it around her while she opened the door.  
  
Lex took a step back as he heard the lock unlatch and the doorknob turn. He started to say something, but Lana stepping out of his bathroom with his robe clutched around her naked body made him stop. He had imagined that same thing on her while they sat on the balcony eating this morning. Of course, she hadn't been sick and crying in his fantasy.  
  
"Lana, drink this, it'll help," he instructed tersely as he thrust out the glass that he'd sat on the table earlier. She took it and sniffed at it hesitantly before lifting it to her lips.  
  
Well, at least, she didn't think that he was still slipping something in her drinks, Lex mused.  
  
"What is it? It tastes awful," she queried when she had taken a few swallows.  
  
"It's supposed to taste that way. It will make you feel better soon." Lex couldn't look at her standing before him enveloped in his robe, so he paced around the room.  
  
"Lex! Stop it, you're making me sick with that pacing," Lana groaned and lay back down on top of the mussed sheets. She rolled over and buried her face in the silk of the bed. It smelled like musk and earth, like Lex, she realized. But also like her, lighter, floral.  
  
"Lex, I don't understand what happened..." Lana started as she turned away from the memory that their combined scents stirred.  
  
"It doesn't matter. It was a mistake; that's all. It's probably best to just forget it," Lex said from the other side of the room where he stood, staring out the window at the brightness of the early morning sun.  
  
Lana drank more of the nasty-tasting liquid before answering, "Of course, it matters. I.we...I mean, last night w-e-e...."  
  
Lex shoved his hands in his pants pockets and finally, turned to face her, "Look, Lana, like you said, it must have been something...you drank," Lex concluded, not wanting to hear any more of her attempts to make sense of what she obviously considered to be an unthinkable act.  
  
"Actually, the more I think about it, the more I realize now that you did have more to drink than I thought last night...I just wasn't aware of it at the time. It's probably more my fault than yours. Sorry," Lex mumbled a hasty apology, then spun around and walked out of the room.  
  
Lana watched him leave and heard the words that he tossed out, but as much as she wanted to believe them, to make them true, she couldn't. Deep down she knew that this wasn't Lex's fault, she hadn't drunk too much and she had wanted to be with him.  
  
"Lex. Lex, wait," Lana slid off the bed and padded carefully out to the living room where Lex was already talking on his cell phone.  
  
"You should get dressed so that we can get back to Smallville. I can have someone else take care of the business that I needed to do here," he said without looking at her.  
  
Lana started towards him, but found herself at a loss for words, so she dutifully returned down the hallway, leaving Lex alone.  
  
******************************************************************  
  
"Ms. Lang, did you have a nice trip?" Phillip asked as he opened the car door for her while Lex threw their bags in to the back seat.  
  
"You could say that," she replied, glad for the dark sunglasses that Lex had tossed her in the elevator. Whatever he had given her to drink had made her feel better, but she was still a bit green.  
  
She saw Lex staring at her; he started to say something, but changed his mind and slid behind the steering wheel instead. After Phillip told her that he hoped she'd came again and moved aside, Lana lowered her body carefully in to the seat beside Lex. She was already dreading the drive ahead of them.  
  
Lana didn't need to worry about what she was going to say to Lex on the trip home because he talked on the cell phone to one business contact or another the whole way back, for which she was grateful. She finally fell asleep and didn't wake up until they were almost in front of her house.  
  
She stretched and yawned and was surprised to realize that she felt fine again. "Look, Lex..." she began, gazing out her window and away from him.  
  
"We're there," he announced as the car screeched to a halt in the driveway.  
  
Lana watched Lex jump out of the car, drag her bags out from the back seat, and stalk towards the porch with them. She took a few, steadying breaths and slowly, got out after him. Lex was already walking back down the steps by the time she'd gotten to the bottom of them. "Lex, please I need to..." she tried again, reaching for his arm.  
  
He shook off her hand. "It's no big deal, Lana. It's just something that happened, so let's just forget about it," he commanded in an edgy, distant voice; he just wanted to get away from her as soon as possible.  
  
Not knowing what to say or do to make things right, Lana stepped aside and let Lex walk off. His expensive car threw dirt out behind it when he tore out of the driveway. She guessed that he had a right to be mad at her, but watching him leave made her feel more alone than she had since she was a child. She watched the road until his car disappeared and then, slowly picked up her bags and went inside. 


	9. Nicodemus Redux Part 9

************Part 9  
  
Lana adjusted the porcelain mugs on the tray and quickly walked away from the table. She smiled absently at some passing Talon customers, but inside she wasn't in the mood for even the smallest friendly gesture. She glanced around her and wondered for the thousandth time if Lex ever planned to come back into the coffee house he owned part of.  
  
It had been over a week since Metropolis and he hadn't so much as parked in front. She was glad not to have to face him, but it was like a sword hanging over her head and she wondered when it was going to come slashing down. Nell hadn't suspected a thing and had breezed back in from her romantic weekend without Lana having to explain anything. Chloe had been insistent, bugging her to share all the juicy details, but Lana would only say it went fine and change the subject.  
  
Clark had been the worst of course, going on about how much fun her trip had to have been compared to his and that he was glad she and Lex were getting along again, since he was beginning to think Lana didn't even actually liked Lex anymore. She had tersely informed him she didn't have a problem with Lex and the trip had been fine. He must have gotten the hint from the cold in her voice because he finally stopped asking about it, but it didn't maker her guilt go away.  
  
Well actually Clark, while you were thinking of me, and the great time I was having in Metropolis, I wasn't thinking about you. Actually I was too busy seducing your best friend. Lana didn't think that conversation would go over too well, but it played in her mind whenever Clark questioned her. She was glad when he finally stopped and she could concentrate on something else. Like Lex.  
  
She might not have seen him but she couldn't get him out of her head. Every time the café doors opened she afraid it was him, and she dropped so many cups she stopped carrying coffee to any table. Even at night she couldn't get any peace, and fell into an exhausted sleep only to dream about him. Sometimes it was a replay of their night together, or parts of it. His hands on her body was a common theme.  
  
Lana would wake up in the morning, more tired than when she went to bed. She couldn't concentrate in classes and forgot to turn in some assignments. Then she worried that he might say something to Clark, but deep down knew he wouldn't do that, if for no other reason than risk his friendship for what meant nothing, as he had put it.  
  
The following Saturday after her Aunt announced that Lionel had called and was going to be in town the following week and wanted to take them to dinner, Lana couldn't stand any more, and knew she had to talk to Lex. She borrowed the truck and drove straight to Lex's, before she changed her mind or lost her nerve.  
  
Lana told Vernon not to bother to announce her after he told her Lex was in his office. She followed the same path as before down the thick Persian rug and steadied her shaking hands before sliding in through the half open door.  
  
Lana scanned the dimly lit room until a sleek movement to her left caught her attention. She turned and watched as Lex hit one ball, which this time bounced beside the pocket instead of into it.  
  
"Damn" he hissed under her breath.  
  
"Isn't this where I came in." she joked nervously, trying not to show how scared she was.  
  
Lex straightened and stared at her with a mixture of shock and confusion on his angled face. He pulled slightly at the black sweater until it hung perfectly on his tall frame.  
  
"What are you doing here?" he finally asked, his voice not betraying the shock he felt at seeing her standing in his study. Late at night hunched over this table he had thought once or twice he had caught a glimpse of her, but of course it wasn't ever Lana.  
  
Ok so he wasn't going to make this easy she realized, but then she hadn't thought it would be.  
  
Lana realized she was wringing her hands and consciously let them drop to her side. "I n-needed to talk to you and since you haven't been into the Talon, I thought." she went on hastily.  
  
"I figured you wouldn't be too happy to have to serve me coffee Lana." Lex interrupted, continuing to stalk around the table lining up shots. He figured that standing there staring at her wasn't the best way to show he didn't care what she had to say, so better to keep moving.  
  
"I.well.I.appreciate that, I guess. I needed to talk to you though." She shrugged when he continued to ignore her, his full attention seemingly on the pool table.  
  
Lana took a few tentative steps further into the room and around the post that set off the table into its own glass enclosed alcove. Lex glanced up quickly, as she moved closer to him, and then quickly back down to the table.  
  
"Lex, look it's important." but he didn't even bother to look up this time, just readied the pool cue for another shot. He has to be kidding, Lana thought her temper getting the better of her.  
  
Before she thought what she was doing she reached out as the white ball raced across the table and plucked its target up. Lex slammed the pool cue down on the table as she did, "What? What is it Lana?"  
  
"Finally. You're father called my Aunt this morning and is coming to Smallville and wants to take us to dinner." She didn't bother to hide her annoyance any longer, biting out each word.  
  
Lex picked up the cue again and rolled it in his large hands, before answering, "and you want me to do what exactly?"  
  
Lana knew he was being dense on purpose and really wanted to scream but didn't, instead she bit out each word. "Well if I remember correctly, and believe me, I remember every single second, I ran into your father and sort of.well.told him off."  
  
She didn't think she had told him about running into Lionel, but he didn't look too surprised so she guessed she must have said something. She wanted to throw the ball she was holding at him when Lex just smirked at her.  
  
"Every second? Really?" he teased her softy, as she felt her face grow red under his serious gaze. "My father, hmmm what did you tell him? I'm guessing it must be something you don't want your Aunt to know." Lex continued to tease her, but inside wanted to tell her to get out. It was only the realization that this part might actually be fun that made him stop.  
  
He had wondered if Lana would eventually seek him out, since Lionel had left a message about flying into Smallville next week. Initially he had thought of using it as an excuse to see her, but decided to wait and see what Lana would do, and if she came to him. Lex had already decided he wasn't going to play the good guy so easily again.  
  
Lana stammered and looked away, as she remembered the words she had said to Lionel. Nell would understand some of them, especially if Lana told her Lionel had hit on her, but she didn't think Nell would let go of the fact that she had said Lex was sexy. God had she actually said that?  
  
"He hit on me and I told him.no." Lana rushed on ignoring Lex's amused grin. "I said it a lot meaner than that though and now he's coming here and wants to see Nell. Why? He's going to tell her he saw me." She concluded.  
  
Lex turned his attention back to the table and let Lana stand there for strained minutes. "So Nell doesn't know you went to Metropolis with me?"  
  
Lana wished they wouldn't get off topic; she was having enough problems just having one conversation with Lex right now, without adding another to the mix. But she knew she had to answer him, she needed him to help her with this, and make Lionel go away, "No she doesn't. I lied." She finished through gritted teeth.  
  
"Lied? Lana you lied? I'm amazed." Lex teased and was rewarded with a small hidden smile from her.  
  
"Ok yes I lied and I don't want to talk about it anymore, but what about your father." She knew she couldn't stand here and make jokes with Lex; it was too confusing to the barriers she had been erecting all week. Just being in the room with him was making her stomach fluttery and her hands shake.  
  
"I wouldn't worry about that, I think I remember he's going to be pretty busy next week, so I doubt he'll be here after all." Lex planned to have the box and serum delivered next Friday, just in time for Lionel to use it on the prowl. He was absolutely sure Lionel would be pretty busy the next week or so.  
  
Lana let out the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding and laid the ball back on the green felt. "Oh! Great. Ok."  
  
"You should have just come and asked me Lana, not gotten so worried about it." Lex walked around the column opposite her and to the glass desk. Lana swung after him, unsure of what to say now.  
  
"I didn't actually think.well.that you'd be too.happy to help me." She answered weekly, "I need to go. Thanks, I.uh.was worried about Lionel." She finished but didn't make a move to leave.  
  
Lex watched her shift uncomfortably and itched to have her in his arms, but instead picked up a pen and started to fill out some forms, he knew he should be paying attention to before he signed, but wasn't.  
  
"Uhm, Lex, I didn't get a chance to say.I mean about what happened between us." Lana wanted to say she was sorry and that she hadn't meant to hurt him or use him or whatever she had done, but he glanced at her and she lost her nerve. His face was cold and distant and he was looking at her like she was bothering him.  
  
"Well I wanted to ask you not to say anything to Clark, or a-anyone about.you know." She finally stammered out.  
  
Lex clenched the pen and counted to ten, while he wondered who had come up with something so stupid, it certainly wasn't making him any calmer.  
  
"Clark, not say anything to Clark?" he finally looked up at her his voice soft and sharp, "Well of course Lana, that's exactly what I plan to do as soon as I get a free second." He pushed back the chair, not noticing it bounce against the far wall, as he stalked toward her.  
  
"Oh yea Clark, by the way did I tell you that when I took Lana to Metropolis I made sure to sleep with her, a lot, and she liked it and wanted it." he hissed in her face.  
  
"Stop it, that isn't what I meant." She threw back at him, unwilling to back down.  
  
"Oh it isn't well gee thanks for that. I'm not going to tell him so don't worry about it. Now if you don't mind I have things to do." And he turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, leaving her standing there open mouthed. 


	10. Nicodemus Redux part 10

********** Part 10  
  
Lana stood in Lex's study for a few seconds before she realized that Lex really had just walked out and left her standing alone. She couldn't believe he was being like this to her, when she had been trying to say she was sorry. Is that what you were trying to say? A voice intoned.  
  
"Shut up." She answered into the empty room and stormed out after Lex. She heard a door slam shut above her and followed the large oak staircase up two flights. She hadn't been upstairs before but had a pretty good idea of what was on this floor, bedrooms. Lex's bedroom more than likely.  
  
"Great, ok so bad idea after all," Lana whispered as she turned around to go back down the stairs, cursing her luck when she bumped into Vernon.  
  
"Miss. Lang, were you looking for someone?" he asked quizzically.  
  
"Uh, no, NO!" she stammered and ducked around him, starting hurriedly down the stairs.  
  
Good retreat Lana, very sophisticated, that same voice mocked her.  
  
She stopped on the top stair and turned back around, "Actually I was looking for Lex, and I know he came up here and well." she didn't quite know what to say after that. Try I seduced Lex and feel guilty about it and need to apologize.  
  
Very funny, she silently answered.  
  
"I need to talk to him now." She said instead.  
  
"Oh yes well, his suite is at the end of the hallway, but perhaps I had better see if he's.available" Vernon asked nervously watching her shake her head and scoot around him, walking quickly toward the room.  
  
"Don't bother, it's fine." She threw over her shoulder.  
  
Lana knocked once, well sort of knocked she admitted, and then opened the door and went in. She almost lost her nerve when she realized that the large heavily draped bed in the middle of the room took up most of the space.  
  
"Looking for someone?" Lex asked as he heard the door fall open.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry about what I said downstairs, well part of it anyway, I meant to say I was." Lana started to lose her nerve when Lex just continued to stare at her from the other side of the bed. "Well I was sorry.again."  
  
Lex dropped the phone back in the cradle, waiting to call down to have his car brought around. He had thought a nice leisurely spin around some country roads would make him feel better.  
  
"Sorry? We'll Lana that's actually very good of you, thanks I appreciate it. I mean it wasn't even your fault was it; some weird fluke, and you came all the way here to apologize for it. Thanks I appreciate it." Lex answer in the sincerest tone she had ever heard him use.  
  
'Well I really am Lex, and about Clark and everyone, well you understand right." She went on a ghost of a smile forming, while relief flooded through her.  
  
"Of course I do. I completely understand and I won't ever say a word, I promise.' He smiled holding up his hand like a boy scout.  
  
Ok so it didn't go quite that way, Lana shook her head to clear it of her fairy tale meeting as she took a few more steps toward the Talon's bar, juggling the handful of mugs. She had gone up the stairs after Lex, furious that he was furious but when Vernon told her it was Lex's bedroom she had chickened out and ran out of the house.  
  
You have to get a grip on yourself, Lana mentally admonished. You should have just gone in and told him you were sorry and made sure he wasn't going to say anything to anyone.  
  
But Lana knew why she hadn't gone in to the bedroom, she was afraid that Lex would ask her questions she couldn't answer, like what had happened, and why had she seduced him. She didn't have any answers, because she hadn't let herself think about the questions. It was too awful to realize what she had done, let alone any reasons behind it.  
  
Of course actually thinking about what they had done wasn't awful, she at least admitted. If she tried to think of an answer as to why, her mind always came back to the what-to the kisses on the balcony, Lex kissing her and holding her.  
  
"Lana? You there?" Clark asked again for the third time. Lana looked around where she had stopped in the middle of the café, her hands full of empty mugs, trying to focus on what Clark had been saying.  
  
"What?" she jumped when he reached out and laid a hand on her arm, almost making her drop her breakable burden. "Clark watch it." She snapped.  
  
"Sorry, I thought something was wrong, you were standing here frozen and you were all red." He said feeling suddenly guilty, but not sure what for.  
  
"No I'm sorry Clark, it's my fault, I was thinking of something and lost track of.well everything." She lowered her voice and smiled as she did, and prayed he didn't ask what she had been thinking about.  
  
"Where were you then, it seemed far away?" Clark asked as inwardly Lana groaned.  
  
"Yes Lana you seemed very preoccupied, where were you? " Lex's smooth voice sounded behind her. Lana spun around and came face to face with Lex, who smiled his curious smile as his piercing blue eyes focused on her startled face.  
  
Lex watched in amusement as she stared at him open mouthed and he wondered how many of the cups she was going to drop before she gathered herself. His smile widened when she started to shake her head and even more when she froze as he reached out toward her.  
  
"Let me grab these, I don't think we can afford to lose any more." He smirked as he grabbed the mugs from her weak fingers and turned to set them on the bar.  
  
Lana wanted to cry, well actually she wanted to scream and curse, but that would just cause more questions and problems for her. Clark would think she was losing it if she started screaming at Lex in the middle of the Talon. Of course Lex would just laugh at her as usual, which made her even angrier with him.  
  
Lana closed her eyes and slowly turned around toward Clark, flashing him a big smile, before she answered, "sorry Clark I was thinking about that biology test today and I got.distracted."  
  
"Oh sure, I don't think I did too well either." Clark answered even though he was pretty sure he had aced it.  
  
She laughed as she answered, "Oh I doubt it Clark, you always ace those tests and you know it." Lana ignored Lex and concentrated on Clark, even reaching out and laying her hand on his arm.  
  
"Well.not always, but.sometimes." Clark answered blushing slightly at Lana's soft touch. "But you usually do too." He finished hastily.  
  
Lana could feel Lex's gaze on her and took a step closer to Clark, hoping Lex would get the hint and leave her alone, "Well maybe next time you could help me study?"  
  
"Really Lana, I would have thought you'd be great at biology." Lex answered as he waived down the new blond waitress to get him some coffee to go. He only smirked when Lana shot him an angry glance.  
  
"Well maybe it's chemistry you're good at, what do you think Clark?" Lex watched her struggle for control over her growing anger and was glad he had gotten the cups away from her. Last time she had gotten mad at him here, he had barely ducked in time.  
  
Lana couldn't believe that Lex was here making jokes about biology and chemistry like it was nothing, and in front of Clark. She actually couldn't believe he was making jokes period. She really wanted to scream now, anything to wipe that amused grin off his face. Instead she just smiled and turned back to Clark, her voice dropping slightly.  
  
"Clark I was hoping that you could maybe.help me tonight. I have some inventory to do and well, I could ask someone here, but it would be more fun if you could help me." She asked in what she hoped was her sweetest voice.  
  
Lex watched Clark get taken in by each sugary word that fell out of Lana's mouth. He knew she was doing it only because he had been teasing her, but still he felt his anger growing. Well Miss. Lang have fun tonight then, he thought as he strode forward and in front of Clark.  
  
"By the way, I had that singer you liked, what was her name.oh yes Basha, booked for the week before Spring Formal." Lex told her and watched her eyes dilate, her game of flirtation momentarily forgotten.  
  
"Clark you should like her, it's a bit.unusual for Smallville, but Lana said if she was ready then Smallville should be too. Of course the club we saw her at had a great.atmosphere." He remarked casually still watching Lana.  
  
"Oh yea I meant to tell you that Chloe says that the Torch can do a write up about each group you bring in." Clark supplied trying to be helpful, before he caught the meaning of Lex's words.  
  
"Club? What club?" Clark turned a confused gaze to Lana, and watched her turn red as her eyes flew to Lex and locked with his.  
  
Lana couldn't think of what to say to Clark, she was too busy starting at Lex, remembering the club he was referring to.  
  
She stumbled over her words, trying to think of an easy answer so Clark wouldn't ask any more questions, but Lex recovered and answered before her.  
  
"It was nothing actually. Last week when I went to the city, there was a singer that Lana wanted to check out for the spring concert series, so she hopped a ride. That's all." He bit off the syllables as he said them, annoyed that Lana had upset him so much he had let the mention of the club slip out in front of Clark.  
  
Plus he could tell from the daggers that Lana was shooting at him, that she thought he had mentioned it in front of Clark on purpose. He admitted that maybe he hadn't been quite as careful as he usually was; he rarely let himself say anything he didn't mean to say.  
  
Lana tore her gaze away from Lex's intense one and tried to fix a casual smile on her face before turning to Clark. "I thought I mentioned it Clark?" she lied, hoping he would believe her.  
  
"No you didn't. I thought you went someplace with Nell." Clark thought it was strange that neither Lana nor Lex had mentioned they had gone to Metropolis together last week.  
  
"Nell? No she was away for the weekend. Like Lex said it was a last minute thing, that's all." She swallowed deeply, wishing she could vanish into the floor.  
  
Clark wanted to ask more about it, but he got the idea that neither of them wanted to talk about it. Clark knew there was some uneasiness between them, so he figured Lex had been bored and Lana uncomfortable and they had both had a bad time, which would explain why Lana got so touchy every time he asked about her trip. He made a mental note to ask Lana more about it later, but had the uneasy feeling she wasn't going to want to discuss it then either.  
  
"Oh, well sure. So how was the singer, you liked her?" he smiled back at Lana, hoping to get back to a subject that was more comfortable. Obviously he missed the mark, when Lana started to stammer and blush.  
  
Lana really wanted to disappear into the floor now. Lex had to know there was no way that Basha could play here in Smallville, her lyrics would make parents call the police. Plus she couldn't exactly tell Clark what had made her like Basha in the city and not here in Smallville.  
  
"I've actually changed my mind about that, I don't think she's right after all. You'll just have to cancel." She finally hissed at Lex in a small voice.  
  
"Not right? Are you sure, I mean you really seemed to be into her music." Lex shrugged at Clark and waited to see Lana squirm out of this one.  
  
Lana tried to think of someway to end this entire discussion while Clark was standing there staring at her, "well it wasn't actually her, I mean it was the club and the.atmosphere, I mean I wasn't actually thinking." she trailed off as she saw Lex's smile widen, realizing what she had said.  
  
"So you were what, carried away, overtaken by the atmosphere?" he supplied when she stopped mid sentence, no longer caring if Clark caught on or not. He was annoyed at Lana for flirting with Clark and he was angry with himself for his slip.  
  
"If you liked her Lana, I'm sure she'll be great." Clark wasn't sure why Lana suddenly looked so angry, but he had a funny feeling it had to do with Lex teasing her.  
  
"Maybe." She finally mumbled, "but we will have to talk about this later."  
  
"Sure Lana, anytime. You just let me know." Lex smiled again and turned on his heels and left, feeling only anger and empty satisfaction. 


	11. Nicodemus Redux Part 11The End

**********Part 11, The End  
  
Lana counted the boxes of red plastic stirrers again, and tried to pay attention this time. She had already counted this box three times, and didn't want to have to do it a fourth. When she realized she had counted 30 at least twice, she stopped and threw down the clipboard.  
  
"You could just go home and do this another time," she said to the empty room. She was still angry about this afternoon, but grateful that Clark had called and said something had come up last minute and he was really sorry he couldn't help her tonight.  
  
She had told him it was fine because she really had been sorry later on that she had used him to annoy Lex. That hadn't been fair and she felt guilty about doing it. Of course Lex had retaliated much better, just bringing up that club had brought an instant image of herself standing pressed against him with his hand rubbing circles on her bare stomach.  
  
"Go away." she hissed out loud to the erotic images that flashed so easily across her mind.  
  
"But I just got here." Lex stepped the last few feet into the back storeroom. He figured that Lana might just decide to not be the conscientious manager and leave her inventory unfinished, so he figured his time of watching from the shadows was over.  
  
"Lex" she jumped and whirled around, surprised that he had snuck up on her.  
  
"Not having much fun are you? Although I doubt this would be fun under the nicest of circumstances." He glanced around the slightly dusty backroom and knew instantly why he had never bothered to see what was behind door number three before.  
  
Lana watched him slid into the room, his long black coat swirling around his legs when he walked. She brushed a stray piece of hair that had come loose from her ponytail away while she watched him. He looked like he had a definite mission for coming to see her and Lana started to get worried.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked instantly not caring if she maintained a friendly air or not.  
  
"I came to talk to you actually." Lex still had a hard time seeing this nervous girl as the woman who had so thoroughly seduced him just a week ago. She stood in the dim light of the storeroom in jeans and a pink sweater, a far cry from that little black dress; but her appeal to him was just as strong.  
  
"Oh, well Clark..." she started hoping that she could get him to leave if he thought Clark was around too. She didn't want to have a conversation with him, since she had a good idea what it would be about.  
  
"Clark isn't here Lana. I had to place an order for some last minute produce I need tomorrow, so Mrs. Kent needed his help." Lex cocked an eyebrow at her as realization dawned in her hazel eyes.  
  
"You did that on purpose. So he couldn't come and help me tonight." She accused, suddenly angrier that he had manipulated her than afraid of what he wanted to talk about.  
  
"Yes I did. He didn't stand a chance with you fluttering those big brown eyes and whispering in that syrupy voice." Lex smirked not allowing her to hide behind accusatory protestations.  
  
"My what.I did not do that." She hissed at him even as she admitted she had just been thinking the same thing about manipulating Clark. "Besides I am sure he was happy not to be here after you told him."  
  
"That was an accident." Lex started to respond, straining to keep his voice even.  
  
"Yea sure, I bet. I don't know why I even trusted you." She threw back at him, angry that he looked so calm about this situation. Lana's life had always been something for public speculation and she had always hated it. And here she was again about to be part of the gossip wheel.  
  
"Trusted me? Please Lana you thought I drugged your drink. You were expecting me to tell Clark, you even came to the house and begged me not to." He raised his voice before he could stop himself.  
  
Lana tried to get her temper under control and realized that Lex was right; her first reaction to waking up with him was to think it was his fault somehow and she had been wrong about that.  
  
"Ok, so I sort of jumped to conclusions about some things, but you did tell Clark." She spit out.  
  
"I told you that was an accident, I was just mad and I didn't mean to say anything about it." Lex lowered his voice, knowing that this argument wasn't going to get them anywhere. He wanted to get the discussion back to the path he had laid out earlier in his head, "I'm sorry about that. But I came here to talk about your using poor Clark."  
  
Lana shook her head at Lex's words, still upset about his so called slip, and not sure if she believed him or not. "What are you talking about? I didn't use poor Clark." What Lex had said about her syrupy voice and big brown eyes came back to her, making her feel guilty all over again.  
  
"Really, well whatever you call it, but I wasn't about to let it happen Lana. You should have known that." He stalked closer to her, glad that she had stopped being so nervous. He would take her anger over that any day.  
  
"Let what happen Lex? Look Clark and I are friends and if I want his help." She couldn't back down now and let Lex know he was right, especially after he had almost spilled everything to Clark. Plus if she admitted she had done just that then she would have to explain why she had done it.  
  
"His help? You didn't want his help. You wanted to use him. If you don't think that's what it was think again." He had almost not called the Kent farm tonight and asked for the produce, he had almost let tonight go. Even though he knew she had only flirted with Clark to annoy him, and he told himself that he wasn't going to be annoyed about it, he was annoyed.  
  
Lana started to say something about how wrong he was, but her uneasy conscience wouldn't let her. Every word Lex said was true, she had been using Clark and she had flirted with him on purpose and they both knew it.  
  
"Besides, I thought this was between you and me, and not anyone else. I kept my end, you were the one that dragged Clark into it Lana." He shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his crepe wool jacket and waited for her to argue with him again.  
  
"You were the one that mentioned the club, not me Lex." She answered hastily not letting him off the hook so easily.  
  
"Only because of how you were acting Lana. You started this little battle with Clark in the middle not me." He answered back just as quickly.  
  
Lana suddenly saw how her behavior might have looked from both Lex and Clark's point of view and knew that Lex might be right about her putting Clark in the middle. She had known it would be guaranteed to make Lex mad, and that Clark wouldn't use anything she did against her later on. So I did start this and put Clark in the middle, she admitted to herself, feeling even worse than earlier.  
  
"I know. You're right, I know." She finally whispered in a small voice, as unwanted tears coated her lashes.  
  
Whatever he had expected her to say, the words that he was right weren't it. He wanted to gloat and use that to twist her around to what he wanted, when he could use her own actions against her. Plus he knew he could do it, he had learned from Lionel that there were always moments that were turning points. The man that came out on top was the one that was able to see those moments and exploit them.  
  
"Then why Lana? Why?" He asked instead, hearing his father admonish him for letting the upper hand slip away, pushing the into a little corner as he usually did.  
  
Lana didn't know what to say, what to tell him. Why had she done something so intentionally mean to Clark, the last person who deserved it?  
  
"I don't know. You were standing there and you looked so smug and you were talking about that club on purpose and I.don't know.it just happened." She tried to explain wiping at her eyes, "I knew it would make you angry." She finally concluded quietly.  
  
Lex took a deep breath as the conversation took off in a direction he hadn't planned on and went onto a totally different path. Secretly he wasn't sure this one would be any better, but he was curious where it would lead.  
  
"I was talking about the club after you decided to drag Clark into this." He clarified as she turned away and tried to stop crying.  
  
"OK, I know. Stop saying it that way." She furiously shouted, wiping away the final tears and finally turning back towards him.  
  
"I apologize. I'm sorry. I'll tell Clark I was sorry, just stop saying that." She continued to yell, moving closer to him as she enunciated each word. Lex didn't seem to be too upset by her yelling and was only staring at her strangely.  
  
"Lana why are you yelling, I can hear you fine." Lex smiled and rocked back on his heels while she continued to swipe at her now red-rimmed eyes.  
  
Lana really wanted to scream now, not yell, but scream at the top of her lungs. He was so infuriating and everything he said seemed to be on purpose to upset her, and it was. "I don't know Lex, I don't. Why don't you tell me why I did it, you seem to know so tell me?" She chocked out the last few words, willing her self not to scream.  
  
See dad sometimes you have to just let the situation work itself around to what you want, he thought as he hid his smile and waited until she had stopped yelling to answer.  
  
"Maybe because you're upset about what happened and not because you can't figure out why, maybe because after all it wasn't so horrible." He reached out and cupped her chin in one hand and lifted her face to his.  
  
Lana let his hand brush against her chin and lift her eyes to meet his. She might not have wanted it to, but her body seemed almost to lean into that touch. She tried to steel herself and tell her self she didn't want to talk about this anymore, but her brain was too tired from trying to remember lie after lie and excuse after excuse. "No it wasn't horrible, it just wasn't a big deal right."  
  
He listened to her petulant almost pouty response and shook off a desire to kiss her. "Well at least that's one thing. Who said it wasn't a big deal?"  
  
Lana felt like a child standing there like that and shook off his hand, "You did. You said it wasn't a big deal, but.it was.to me." She admitted hesitantly.  
  
Now this was a definite turn he hadn't foreseen and he admitted he should have. The Metropolis Lana had seemed very mature and experienced, but she was only a girl and not experienced at all.  
  
"Well I probably didn't mean it quite that way. I mean are you sure I said that?" he couldn't remember those words, but then he had tried to only remember the night of and not the day after.  
  
Lana wasn't sure if she still wanted to scream or hit him now. Was she sure he said that, like she would forget something that important. He had a quizzical look in his wary eyes and she figured he was trying to remember when exactly he had uttered such an obvious slander.  
  
"Yes you said it, when you dropped me at home, and when you were trying to explain to Clark." She blurted out and watched the quizzical glint disappear followed by a slight blush.  
  
Lex wasn't sure how to answer her accusation, but he didn't think that being completely honest about how he had been decidedly disappointed that day was the best answer. Still he realized watching her intently, arms folded across her chest staring daggers at him, a version of the truth might just help him out.  
  
"Lana. look, first Clark doesn't count. Second I don't want to say that what you were, or how you acted was well.out of character, but it was unusual for you and I didn't quite realize it until...well too late apparently. So Saturday I wasn't exactly.understanding." Lex watched to see her reaction but realized he missed the mark, when Lana just continued to stare at him, her head cocked slightly to one side.  
  
Lex decided the truth might not be so bad after all. "Uh, well I sort of thought you wanted to be in Metropolis with me.understand?" he waited until he saw a slight frown crease her brow before continuing, "and Saturday I was a little.disappointed that I was.wrong. Ok."  
  
Lana listened to his extracted confession and her first reaction was to laugh. Lex Luthor rich, sexy and one of the most sought after young bachelors in the world was disappointed that she didn't like him. She was glad as she watched him though that she suppressed that laugh, because she could tell he was serious. A sudden flash of his eyes as he stood above her, asking her if she was sure, flashed into her mind. She had known then that he had expected her to reject him, and in a way that was what she had done.  
  
She felt guilty that he had admitted to any feelings for her, after how she had acted to such a confession last time. She had obviously taken advantage of a side of Lex she hadn't know about and then been awful to him. She knew what she would feel like if it had been the other way around and felt ashamed that she had thought Lex wouldn't be hurt.  
  
"Well Clark does count, you slipped and you said it didn't matter." She answered, as she unconsciously leaned toward him a little, "and Lex I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for any of it.the way it turned out, honestly. I didn't even think of that, I only thought about myself and." she trailed off and lowered her gaze to the floor unable to meet his soulful eyes.  
  
Lex couldn't believe that she was actually apologizing to him and meaning it. Well he did deserve it, he admitted, since she had been pretty insensitive about teasing him. Still he figured that since it was sort of his fault to begin with, only by default of course, he shouldn't let her feel to bad about it.  
  
"Lana, please don't, you're going to make me feel guilty and I hate that. It's ok that you were upset, whatever happened, I guess it wasn't the most romantic way to spend your first time." He took a few steps toward her, figuring it might be safe now.  
  
Lana knew she should be embarrassed to be standing here talking to him about this, but she wasn't. She wondered if he was though, as she listened to his strangled words as he tried to comfort her. She watched him take a few more hesitant steps toward her, all joking instantly gone from his lean face. She realized she was getting better at reading Lex, because she knew by the way he offered the words, they were a sort of apology.  
  
"Oh no it wasn't that, actually the night couldn't have been more perfect. I mean the penthouse and restaurant and the club too." she trailed off because despite herself she knew she was blushing.  
  
Now she stared to feel she really should feel foolish and embarrassed talking about what had happened, but still she didn't. It was strange though because anytime Whitney had even wanted to joke about anything passionate between them, she would tell him to stop and quickly change the subject. Maybe because of what had happened she felt differently talking to Lex about it.  
  
Lex was smiling at her, the amused gleam back in his eyes. "Oh well at least I get points for that part." He joked as he watched her color prettily and right on cue. All he needed to do was lead her down to him a little more and Lex thought things would work out the way he had planned last week, only a little late.  
  
"Well I guess so, I mean I guess you usually don't have to worry about that." She joked back watching him veer away from her and walk around absently running long firm fingers over some of the boxes. It brought back memories and made her blush even deeper.  
  
"No not usually, but then usually I don't really care." He answered casually as he continued to wander around the room, circling closer to Lana without her being aware of it.  
  
"Usually? What do you mean?" Lana bent to pick up the clipboard she had thrown earlier as she absently digested his words. When she stood up she could sense Lex standing close behind her. She could feel the weight of his coat against the back of her legs and his breathing close. She parted her lips to say something light and joking but all that came out was a sigh.  
  
"I care about you Lana, I wanted to be with you, and I know you wanted that too." Lex reached out and stroked the back of her neck, brushing aside her ponytail with the edges of his fingers. He traced up and down rubbing with the pad of his thumb and continued in a lowered voice.  
  
"I know you didn't expect this, neither did I, but it happened for a reason. I know my reason," he leaned down and whispered the rest in her ear, his breath inviting her, "do you know yours?"  
  
Lana shivered as his words invaded her, and his hands stroked her. She waited for him to say something more or to move fully against her. Her body was stretched tight and she was afraid that if she breathed out she would break apart.  
  
Part of her suddenly understood that whatever the reason for how strangely she had acted the week before, the why was easy; because she wanted to be with Lex, was overwhelmingly attracted to him, physically and emotionally. But now was different; then she had felt free and almost out of control. Now the warnings screamed in her head and her heart was pounding against her chest while her breath came in long unsteady pauses.  
  
When he didn't continue she knew that he was waiting for her, for what she had to say. Only she wasn't sure what that was. Being here with him like this made her want to turn to him and bury herself against him, let him take her home and to his bed. It was what she had dreamed about all week, what she secretly wanted. But after that would come guilt and fear over what she had done and what that meant.  
  
"L L L ex, I don't know what you want." she stammered out, still afraid to move.  
  
"Not the question Lana. What do you want?" Lex cut her off still whispering seductively in her ear, "or don't you know anymore?"  
  
His voice pulling at her mixed with his closeness overwhelmed her until Lana let her eyes drift shut and her body relax and fold back against him. His arms enveloped her and held her tight to him. She could feel his breath falling evenly in and out and her heart change rhythms to match his.  
  
"Lana." Lex whispered again as his lips nuzzled at the delicate skin just behind her ear.  
  
Lana heard the desire in Lex's call and responded to it, turning fully in his arms and lifting her lips as he stroked one large hand up to her neck and cradled her face. Lana ran hesitant hands up the front of Lex's midnight blue shirt, gasping softly as his tongue stroked hers, coaxing her to sink deeper into him.  
  
Lex heard Lana's gasp of pleasure and deepened the kiss, but only for a few brief, wonderful, minutes. Then he slowly ended it, stroking silken strands of hair that had fallen loose. Lana let her head fall into the crook of his neck, running her hand along the V above the top buttons of the shirt and stroking the exposed expanse of skin.  
  
Lex was glad he had stopped when he had, as it was it took all his control not to push his advantage, but her ragged breathing and fingers stroking his collarbone were pushing at him, begging him to touch her.  
  
"Lana, I think we need to take you home NOW." He slowly pushed her away enough so he could look into her eyes. What he saw there made him want to groan, her eyes were cloudy and unfocused and her lips were red and stung. Unplanned Lex ran a soft caress over her lips and he sighed out loud when her lips parted slightly to his touch.  
  
Lex jerked away from her like he had been burned and took a few steps backward as Lana focused on him. "Lex what.?" she asked hesitantly, starting to feel embarrassed over her behavior.  
  
"Nothing, it's nothing." He breathed out slowly, realizing too late that Lana would take his pulling away the wrong way. "No." He reached out and jerked her against him when she started to turn away, looking into her face as he continued. "that isn't what I meant. I need to take you home.now.before this gets.out of hand."  
  
Lana started to struggle against his arms around her, pining her against his chest, but stopped when he spoke, "oh, I guess so.it's just." Lana wasn't sure what else to say. She wanted to say that she didn't want to go home, that she wanted Lex to make love to her again, but she couldn't say that yet.  
  
Lex shook his head slightly as he realized what Lana was trying not to say and say at the same time. He had come here tonight to make sure she knew he wasn't going to be manipulated by her, or to let her use Clark to make him mad. But things had gone off in a direction he hadn't even begun to imagine, and one that worked out better than he hoped. He smiled slightly as he realized again that Lana seemed to be the one person that could always surprise him.  
  
"Lana, please don't. I swear I can't take it." He joked and watched her blush a deep red. "I could have an attack right here." He continued just to watch her embarrassment deepen. Instead she only smiled a slow smile and leaned her head against his chest.  
  
"What ever you say Lex." She murmured, her breath warm through the silk of his shirt.  
  
"Tease." He joked as he let her go and watched as she shook herself and finally picked up the fallen clipboard.  
  
Lana sat the clipboard on one of the metal shelves on the sidewall and retrieved her suede jacket from the hook beside it. She took her time, glad for the few minutes to herself. She knew that something had happened tonight, some kind of decision on her part, but it was still confusing and scary. There would be so many repercussions, but she would have to deal with them tomorrow. Tonight she didn't wan to think about them.  
  
She watched Lex out of the corner of her eye, move a few boxes she had stacked in the floor to the side and pull his keys out of his pocket.  
  
"Ready." He knew she was watching him, and Lex wondered what she was thinking. He didn't want to give her too much time to think about what had happened, or he knew she might let her doubts change her mind.  
  
"Yes." Lana turned and stared for a minute at the hand that Lex motioned to her with. Smiling a slow easy smile, Lana took a few steps toward him and fit her smaller hand in his. "Ready."  
  
Lex glanced confused as Lana took his hand and held it. He certainly knew that people did things like this, but he had never thought of himself as the hand holding type before. Still he tightened his grip, figuring it couldn't hurt to play along. He admitted that even though he felt a little foolish it did feel nice to feel Lana's warmth.  
  
"So I was thinking that maybe we can go to the city, just for the day of course," he hastily amended at her confused glance, "and see one of those other groups, I know one of them is playing an afternoon concert next weekend."  
  
A brief glimpse of Clark's face when she told him flashed in her head, but she dismissed it and smiled as Lex amended his comments, and drifted closer to him as they walked out of the Talon. "That sounds nice actually." She responded to his suggestion of a picnic and concert in the Metropolis Botanical Gardens.  
  
"You know Lana I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." Lex joked, the line from one of his favorite old moves springing to mind. He stumbled as Lana stopped suddenly and tugged on his arm.  
  
"That's one of those old movie again isn't it?" she continued before he could answer, "We are definitely going to have to rent some newer movies, and no Godfather either."  
  
Lex was grateful that she hadn't brought up Clark and what he would say to a relationship between he and Lana. He wasn't sure exactly what he was going to tell his friend yet. Although Clark and Lana had never dated, Lex knew that his friend's not so secret crush was pretty intense. Plus Lex figured he had told Clark enough times not to wait too long, or someone else was bound to grab someone as beautiful as Lana. Of course he hadn't been referring to himself at the time.  
  
He held the door to the silver Jaguar open and watched Lana slide into the passenger seat before answering, putting the problem of Clark out of his mind until tomorrow, "whatever you say Ms. Lang, except renting isn't really my thing. We can just have the movie set up and screen it on the big screen."  
  
He heard Lana's laughter echoing as he walked around and slid behind the wheel.  
  
"What it's not that funny." He scowled as she continued to laugh.  
  
"Oh Lex, it is. Really. I mean what are you going to do call up the theater and tell them you want them to show a certain movie and they'll do it?" As soon as she said the words, she knew that was exactly what Lex meant to do. She realized she might have to be careful about telling him things she wanted, he might just take them too far.  
  
"Of course. Why not?" Lex pulled out onto the street and swung the silver car around toward Lana's.  
  
"And they'll just do it?" Lana stopped laughing and leaned forward to watch Lex's face in the streetlights.  
  
"Of course they will." Lex answered as he reached across and took Lana's hand in his, suddenly missing the intimate contact.  
  
"Oh. So do you always get what you want then?" Lana asked an uneasy feeling coming over her, that she already knew the answer.  
  
Lex swung the car left through the red light, and lifted Lana's suddenly cold hand to his lips. "Of course, always." He answered as a satisfied smile slowly played around his lips. Lana pushed down the worrisome thought that somehow she had been manipulated tonight, twisted around to what Lex wanted and smiled instead as he turned to her. "And from now on Lana, so will you. Anything you want."  
  
Lana kept her smile, but hid a small shudder as she wondered exactly what Lex meant by that. A small voice in her head intoned that she needed to be very careful, but being with Lex and feeling him softly stroke her hand made her tune it out. It said just before it was pushed away that it hoped she didn't regret her decision one day. 


End file.
